‘Delightful flavour’: Dessert cob loaf’s secret ingredient

We’re all familiar with a dip in a cob loaf, such as this classic spinach dip cob.

I may be a little too familiar with this party staple, because when I see one at a gathering I immediately park myself beside it to enjoy the fun of tearing and dipping bread into the delicious insides.

It’s just so hard to resist that savoury filling plus soft and crusty bread.

And the field of cob loaves has totally opened up – they’re still a vessel for tasty savoury dips but you can even find main meals in a cob, like this hearty shepherd’s pie cob.

So now it’s time for the world of desserts to welcome the cob. Being a cob fanatic myself, I was thrilled to discover this invention by Best Recipes user alicea67 – a Caramilk cob loaf dip.

It combines Caramilk, the caramelised white chocolate with a sweet and complex flavour, with warm cream to create a spoonable and delectable liquid just begging to be dipped.

There’s also a base layer of melted dark chocolate, providing a slight bitterness and delightful flavour contrast.

What is a cob loaf?

Some variation of bread called a cob loaf has existed for centuries, with the word cob likely meaning “head or top” in old English.

In the 19th century, cob loaf was characterised as a crusty round loaf, or small roundish loaf, and our modern day cob hasn’t changed much from the original.

The magic of a cob loaf is its round size and height.

As they’re baked with no surrounding tin, the full outside becomes hard and crisp, making it the ideal vessel for savoury or sweet fillings.

And here’s a tip, grab some round rolls from the bakery and use them as “mini cobs” to turn any cob recipe into a single serving delight.

They just might need a little longer for the pre-bake to ensure they get crisp enough to hold a filling.

How to make a Caramilk cob loaf

Start with a round cob loaf with a firm and crusty outside.

Preheat the oven. Use a serrated knife to slice off the top of the cob, then carefully pull away the soft bread from inside, being careful not to make any holes in the shell.

Keep the top and insides for another use, such as whizzing them up for breadcrumbs.

Place the cob on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 280g of the Caramilk with some thickened cream in the microwave, stirring frequently, until melted.

Stir to combine, the mixture may look slightly split. Set aside to cool.

Add two tablespoons of the remaining cream to the mixture. Use electric beaters to beat until smooth.

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the dark chocolate and remaining cream until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Pour the dark chocolate into the cob, then top with the Caramilk mixture. Use a skewer to gently make a few swirls for a marbled effect.

Top with extra whipped cream and grated Caramilk. Serve with biscuits, marshmallows, strawberries, sliced apples and more for dipping.

Find the full recipe here.