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The importance of cocoa solid percentage is a complete myth – it doesn’t give any indication of quality, flavour, taste or texture. Look instead for the beans used or where they’re from.

Study the ingredients list. If a chocolate contains cocoa powder it will give you a heavy, dry result in cooking.

Be prepared to spend more on chocolate – you definitely get what you pay for. Aim to spend at least £2.50 on a bar. Chop and change: if a recipe doesn’t work with one brand, try another one.

When melting chocolate, don’t use a microwave as it has hot spots and cold spots and will burn the chocolate.

Try experimenting at home, whether making hot chocolate to drink, or a dessert or cake. Many spices marry beautifully with chocolate.

Think seasonally: in summer it’s good to pair fresh berries and summery herbs with chocolate; in the winter, warming spices are good.

Don’t serve chocolates with coffee! Coffee is always bitter so it will overpower any chocolate. Instead, serve chocolate with tea, sherry, port, Cognac or malt whisky.

Cheese and chocolate is a triumph, although it may sound like a surprising partnership.

Be adventurous: instead of going for well-known brands in the supermarket, try their own-brand Finest, Taste the Difference or whatever. These are usually very good.

Don’t think of chocolate as fattening: it has many benefits and contains both magnesium and iron, which are useful minerals.

You can find Paul’s shops at 33 Camden Passage, Islington, London N1 8EA 020 7424 5750 and in the Royal Exchange. Visit his website at www.paulayoung.co.uk/. He has written a book, Adventures with Chocolate: 80 sensational recipes, which was acclaimed as best chocolate book in the world by the French. He has also won Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Foods and Academy of Chocolate Awards.

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