Cocoa Flakes

Look at Cocoa Flakes before you buy them. They should lie flat, thin, almost brittle, with a dry sheen, not a greasy film. If they look dull, soft or stuck together, pass them over and choose another bag — a good flake stays crisp on top of a cake, not limp in it.

Pick one up and warm it between your fingers. In a moment it softens, and the shine spreads a little under the skin of your thumb. Flour and sugar do not do that. Smell it too: real cocoa flavour, not a sugary nothing that just happens to look like chocolate.

Some people say Cocoa Flakes are just decoration, with no real taste of their own, so it does not matter where they land on a dessert. No! Any cook who has sprinkled them straight onto a hot drink or a warm tart knows the truth: in a few seconds the flakes are gone, melted into a brown smear instead of sitting there as neat little shards. Wait for the dish to cool, then scatter them on. That is the whole secret, and anyone who forgets it ruins a beautiful plate every time, wondering afterward where their pretty decoration went.