Well hello there! Hope you’re all having a lovely festive period so far! Can’t believe it’s crept up so damn quick on us, only just sent off my Christmas cards today and beginning to get slightly worried about lack of delivery on internet purchases. I have exciting news too…I have a new job! It’s all been a bit scary as it’s working in financial services – had to have comprehensive credit checks and all sorts! But the job is really what I want to do and there’s lots of nice perks to the job – like a gym! I will be able to work off my post-Christmas paunch…

Anyways, a couple of weeks ago I was sent this beautiful Gugelhupf from Betty’s after leaving a comment of Dom at Belleau Kitchen’s blog. I adore Betty’s and when my mum comes to visit it’s guaranteed we’ll visit at least one during her stay. Maybe three – yes we did that once.

I was sent a Christmas Gugelhupf – it’s a bundt cake made with chocolate and hazelnuts and covered in Grand Cru Dark chocolate. It looks absolutely stunning on the table – so good I almost didn’t want to cut into it!

The cake has an incredibly smooth creamy feel to it – the hazelnut is very finely ground so there’s no crunchy bits in it. It’s not too dense either. It tastes so good – I eventually had to take it into work and share it otherwise I’d have pretty much eaten the whole thing by myself!

The chocolate on top is incredibly crisp – when you cut into it, it makes a beautiful cracking noise. Like that dubbed over noise on the old Vienetta adverts (remember that?!) except that it’s for realsies. It really contrasts with the softness of the cake. Again, it’s got a wonderful cocoa taste and not at all bitter. Betty’s Grand Cru chocolate is “the finest Swiss chocolate, made from quality Criollo beans, grown in Venezuela and then roasted and refined by Felchin, a traditional Swiss family business.”

Unfortunately the Gugelhupf is all sold out online and it’s a bit late to order – but if you’re lucky enough to live near one or you’re taking a trip to one over the Christmas period, then there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get one. Plus there’s plenty of other amazing delights like their Fat Rascals of course. Check out Betty’s website here.