So we have had requests from our friends with a sweet tooth for some goodies they can make at home. So todays recipies are for peppermint creams, biscuit truffles, chocolate covered apples, coconut ice, and my personal favourite-slow cooker chocolate fudge, yum!
Our West End cookery group made these as presents for people at Christmas and they were a massive hit. You could leave them on neighbours doorsteps to cheer them up, or eat them all yourself- we wont Judge! Alternatively reduce the quantities in the recipe so you don't make a pig of yourself!
Chocolate dipped peppermint creams (makes 15-20)
•1 egg white
•½ lemon, juice only
•1 tsp peppermint flavouring
•425g/15 oz icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
•175g/6¼oz dark chocolate
•Whisk the egg white in a bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice, peppermint and icing sugar to make a stiff paste.
•Tip the peppermint mixture onto a work surface dusted liberally with icing sugar and roll out thinly.
•Use a 5cm/2in cutter to cut out circles and place them onto a baking tray, or if you haven't got a cutter roll into balls and flatten with your hand. Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture has set.
•Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water.)
Dip each peppermint cream into the melted chocolate and set aside on a baking tray. Chill the peppermint creams until set
** you can make orange or lemon creams by swapping the peppermint flavouring for either of these
Biscuit chocolate truffles (makes 35)
•20 digestive biscuits
•125g (4oz) butter
•200g (7oz) condensed milk
•2 tbsp cocoa
•125g (4oz) desiccated coconut
chocolate flavour strands (or desiccated coconut), for rolling
•Put the digestive biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until you have crumb
•Put the butter and condensed milk in a pan over a low heat, until the butter melts. Allow to cool slightly.
• Add the biscuit, cocoa powder and desiccated coconut to the melted butter mixture and stir to combine.
•· Form the mixture into truffles about the size of ping pong balls (dipping your hands into water between making each ball will help prevent the mixture sticking to your fingers).
•· Put the chocolate strands (or desiccated coconut) into a plastic bag, then gently drop the truffle balls in a few at a time and carefully roll around until they're completely covered.
·Chill the truffles until ready to serve.
Snowball apples
•12 dessert apples
•12 wooden sticks
•150 g desiccated coconut
•1kg white chocolate
•Insert the wooden sticks into the cores of the apples at the stem. Place the roasted peanuts and Smarties on separate plates. Set aside.
•Place the chocolate into a metal or glass bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until melted. Remove from the heat. Dip apples into the melted chocolate, turning to coat completely. Dip or roll in the Smarties and nuts, then place on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Repeat with remaining apples. Allow apples to set at room temperature until the chocolate is firm, about 20 minutes, before serving.
** you could make these with dark or milk chocolate instead
Coconut ice
•2 400 tins sweetened condensed milk
•700g icing sugar
•550g desiccated coconut
•Pink gel food colouring (optional)
•Line a small rectangular baking tray or cake tin with baking parchment. If you don’t have any, tin foil also works well.
•In a large bowl, mix one tin of condensed milk with 350g of the icing sugar. Mix well, then add 2755g of the desiccated coconut and stir again until thoroughly combined (the mixture may be quite stiff and hard to stir, but do persevere!).
•Tip into your prepared tray or tin and press down to form a thin layer.
•In the same bowl, tip in the second tin of condensed milk and mix with the remaining 350g of icing sugar. Add the food colouring (if using), and stir in until the mixture is a completely pink.
•Add the remaining 275g desiccated coconut and stir until combined. Gently tip into the tray and press down to form a second layer over the first.
•Leave the tray out to dry over night. Once the top feels hardened to touch, carefully tip the slab of coconut ice out onto a large chopping board, peel off the baking parchment/tin foil and leave to dry for a few more hours.
•Cut into bars, squares or even pretty shapes using cookie cutters and leave to dry a little longer before serving up or packing into pretty cellophane bags ready to gift to your favourite people!
** If you are not using the food colouring just mix it all in one go
Slow cooker chocolate fudge
•1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
•1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
•1can sweetened condensed milk.
•500g of chocolate
•Place all the ingredients in your slow cooker on low heat.
•Stir every 10-15 minutes using a metal spoon.
•Carry on for 2 hours.
•Pour into a lined baking tin or square tin.
•Refrigerate
•When set, cut into cubes and store into your fridge.
not let the base of the bowl touch the water.)
Preparation time
•Dip each peppermint cream into the melted chocolate and set aside on a baking tray. Chill the peppermint creams until set.