A rich chocolate dessert is required. What I should have done is pick up a selection of top quality chocolate from the deli, plucked a half dozen free-range eggs from Highlands Farm and replenished the tin with local flour for the pastry. But I couldn’t be arsed.

Instead a Seriously Chocolatey Waitrose Tarte au Chocolat landed in the hand-held basket. A sad sign of living alone but at least I can eat half the tarte in one sitting without being tutted at. And another slice the following morning as the sausages are frying!

Via twitter (another refuge for the company-craving single?) dark chocolate was recommended as an accompaniment to this new Liefmans Fruit Beer. The combination of rich chocolate tarte and the sweet, deeply fruit beer worked nicely. Not quite a perfect match as the complexity of the beer was slightly nullified by the food and the layers of fruit flavours – cherry, raspberry, strawberry – diminished into one sweet, juicy whole. Its a highly drinkable little brew coming in with 4.2% alcohol. The fizz adding to the freshness.

Sweeter than I was expecting, initiating thoughts of a grown-up alcopop, and not at all beery (malty/hoppy). Liefmans Fruit Beer is matured for 18 months on cherries then flavoured with cherry, raspberry, bilberry, elderberry and strawberry according to the rear label although the website lists juniper rather than elderberry). Sugar and Sweetener are also added but it comes in at just 99 calories in the 25cl bottle.

About to be filmed for another series of Come Dine With Me? A Chocolate Tart served with a little bottle of Liefmans Fruit Beer would make a fine dessert. Not that I watch Come Dine With Me at all you understand; that is reserved for the truly sad and lonely…
Liefmans Fruit will be available from all Waitrose stores from March 1st at £1.60 per 25cl bottle.

Liefmans’ Fruit is a new introduction to the Liefmans range. It is based on older brother Liefmans Cuvée Brut (formerly Liefmans Kriek), a famous brown beer brewed just once a year and left to mature for 18 months on fresh, whole cherries. The new beer is then blended with fresh, natural fruit juices of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, elderberry and bilberry, before being crown-capped. The result is Liefmans Fruit, a highly refreshing fruit beer that is delightfully sweet, with the sparkle of Champagne and the freshness of a nicely chilled glass of wine.