Ingredients with Measurements:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried orange peel, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Special equipment needed:
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
Step-by-step instructions:
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the dark chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Using a spoon, drop small circles of the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts, dried orange peel, and dried cranberries on top of each chocolate circle.
5. Let the chocolate mendiants cool and harden at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
6. Once the chocolate has hardened, carefully remove the mendiants from the parchment paper.
Time:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Temperature:
Room temperature
Serving size:
Makes approximately 12 mendiants
Nutritional information:
Calories per serving: 150
Total fat: 10g
Saturated fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0mg
Total carbohydrates: 16g
Dietary fiber: 2g
Sugars: 12g
Protein: 2g
Substitutions for ingredients:
- You can substitute dark chocolate chips with milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
- You can substitute hazelnuts with almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
- You can substitute dried orange peel with dried lemon peel or dried grapefruit peel.
- You can substitute dried cranberries with raisins or dried cherries.
Variations:
- You can add a pinch of sea salt on top of each mendiant for a sweet and salty flavor.
- You can sprinkle some edible gold or silver dust on top of each mendiant for a festive touch.
- You can add some chopped candied ginger or crystallized ginger for a spicy kick.
Tips and tricks:
- Make sure to chop the hazelnuts and dried orange peel into small pieces so they can stick to the chocolate.
- You can use a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a small hole cut in the corner to make the chocolate circles more uniform.
- You can store the mendiants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Storage instructions:
Store the mendiants in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Reheating instructions:
Not applicable.
Presentation ideas:
Arrange the mendiants on a platter or a tray and serve them as a dessert or a snack.
Garnishes:
You can garnish the mendiants with some fresh mint leaves or some edible flowers.
Pairings:
The mendiants pair well with a cup of coffee or tea.
Suggested side dishes:
Not applicable.
Troubleshooting advice:
- If the chocolate is too thick, you can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to thin it out.
- If the chocolate is too thin, you can add more chocolate chips to thicken it up.
Food safety advice:
- Make sure to wash your hands and all the utensils before handling the ingredients.
- Make sure to use clean parchment paper and a clean baking sheet.
- Make sure to store the mendiants in an airtight container to prevent them from getting stale.
Food history:
Mendiant is a French confectionery made of chocolate disks topped with nuts and dried fruits. It is named after the mendicant orders of friars who wore brown robes, which resembled the color of the nuts and fruits on the chocolate disks.
Flavor profiles:
The mendiants have a rich and decadent chocolate flavor with a crunchy texture from the nuts and a chewy texture from the dried fruits. The orange peel adds a citrusy and slightly bitter note to the sweetness of the chocolate.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the mendiants as a dessert or a snack with a cup of coffee or tea.
Related Categories
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Region: French