When Scramblejam dropped a comment about partying at a Napoleonic island fortress near Portsmouth, UK, of course I urged him to tell us more — and he’s doing it here today, with the recipe for his decadent Chocolate Traybake given up to tempt your tastebuds and blow your diet. Enjoy! ~ Jen

Getting Fat on the Fort

I am a very lucky man in lots of ways — fabulous girlfriend, great job, divine gift for baking (for a man) — but those times that make me feel most lucky, and most grateful, are when all my favorite things come together. When you combine cold beer, great friends, diabetes-inducing chocolatey goodness and a fort — you end up with a recipe for a cracking evening.

Spitbank Fort is an amazing place to visit, and I am lucky enough to know the owners — I have had some wonderful times out there.

One of my favorite times out there, probably one of my all-time favourite memories, was when a group of us shipped out late after work one Friday. The journey out was a little hairy, with a storm coming in swift and sure, but we made it there with our cargo intact (“cargo” being beer and Chocolate Traybake).

The apartment where we ensconced ourselves is right on top of the fort, and has 360-degree views across the Solent (the sea between England and the Isle of Wight).

The views that we were witness to that night, as the storm broke around us, were truly out of this world — nature at its most glorious and ferocious. It puts you in perspective when you;re half a mile out to sea, actually in a storm not just watching one from afar.

Fortunately we had the triple comforts of cold beer, stout walls and my fantastic chocolate traybake to take the edge off.

I love sharing things with my friends — great experiences, good times and tasty food. That night I was lucky enough to be able to share all of them.

Despite all the lures of theme parks, loud bands and expensive restaurants — some of the best experiences we can have are through staying at home, or being in nature and sharing the best of life with your friends. Chocolate and beer are optional.

For those DGs who want to try this awesome traybake here is the recipe.

Chocolate Traybake

Ingredients:
100g Butter
200g Milk Chocolate
3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup
225g Finely crushed Digestive biscuits
225g Maltesers (or Mini Creme eggs)

Directions:
Thoroughly melt the chocolate (ideally using a double-boiler) in a bowl
Mix in and melt in the golden syrup and butter — beat till you get a delicious stodgy goo.
Mix in the crushed biscuit and beat it till you get a gooey crumbly mixture
Add the Maltesers, stir together quickly, and spread into a lined square baking tin
Chill it in the fridge until the traybake has set (takes an hour or so), cut it up and serve with smiles :)


Lee Greenwood (aka Scramblejam) is a personal development author, speaker and storyteller currently writing at the Scramblejam Blog. His site aims to help you inject inspiration, motivation and creative new ideas into your personal development adventures.