Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark

Apologies for mentioning Christmas already but I am a big planner - it comes with the territory of my job - and I'm already looking ahead to this Christmas and thinking about festive gifts!
I'm a believer in the saying, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and my Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark was such a success last Christmas I have decided that I will definitely be making it again this year.
Last Christmas I made a big batch of the bark as gifts for teachers and teaching assistants for staff at my children's school and for my own colleagues.

Here's how to make it!

You will need:

• 200g bar of good quality dark chocolate
• 200g bar of good quality white chocolate
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• peppermint candy canes

Line a bun tray with festive paper cases - I like these ones here.
Put a few candy canes in a bag and bash away the day's stresses until they are broken up into small chunks.
Melt the dark chocolate, with 1 teaspoon of the oil, in a bowl over boiling water.
Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and mix in.
Divide this mix between the festive paper cases and refrigerate, for about an hour, until set.

Repeat the above process with the white chocolate, oil and peppermint extract and spread this mixture over the set dark chocolate.
Then sprinkle crushed candy canes on top and refrigerate again until set.

Once set bag up a few chocolates in a cellophane bag and tie with festive ribbons.

The above will make about a dozen chocolates depending on the size of paper cases and thickness of chocolate that you make.

My advice would be to buy extra chocolate bars and just go for it!

If you don't want to make individual chocolates in cases you can always spread the mix on a flat baking paper lined tray then once set just smash it into random pieces - it will taste just as nice!

x x x

 

Disclaimer: This post is an entry for a blogger competition with dotcomgiftshop. 



Mingles & Jingles Christmas Cake

Finally the day is here.
Work has finished and the children still have a day at school so I can open my bag of Mingles & Jingles chocolates from Hotel Chocolat.
Alone and in peace.
Rather than devouring the lot in one sitting I thought I would attempt to make them last much longer and thought there should be cake involved.

Now, not everyone is a fan of traditional Christmas cake so I've made my own non-traditional version, guaranteed to please most taste buds, and used the Mingles & Jingles to add a festive touch.

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4oz slightly melted unsalted butter
4oz light brown sugar
3 eggs
6oz drinking chocolate
1oz SR flour
half tsp. vanilla extract

Cream the butter and sugar together then beat in the 3 eggs.
Mix in the drinking chocolate and flour until smooth.
Finally stir in the vanilla
Spread into a greased lined 20cm x 30cm tin.
Bake at 170c for 25 minutes.
Let it cool

1oz butter
1-2 tbsp. milk
4oz sifted icing sugar
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
Selection of Mingles & Jingles from Hotel Chocolat

Gently melt butter and 1 tbsp. milk.
Beat in icing sugar and cocoa.
If too stiff mix in a little more milk.
Beat and spread over the cake.
Decorate with Mingles & Jingles.

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A Christmas cake to keep all chocoholics smiling through the holiday period!

The Mingles & Jingles come individually wrapped as a selection of milk chocolate penguins, caramel milk chocolate angels and white chocolate bells. As always with Hotel Chocolat you can expect a high quality product and great service. The Christmas chocolate range is still available for Christmas delivery if ordered by 6p.m. Monday 23rd December.

 

Enjoy!

x x x 

 

Disclaimer: I was sent the Mingles & Jingles bag of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat for review purposes. As always views and opinions are honest and are my own.

Stir Up Sunday

Today is Stir Up Sunday - the last Sunday before Advent.
I only recently learnt of this traditional day of Christmas pudding making from the lovely people at Yeo Valley who sent some ingredients, and that lovely Cornishware pudding bowl, so I could have a go at my first ever Christmas Pudding.

I followed their traditional recipe and as I type the pudding is happily steaming away.
Fingers are crossed.

Adding to the Christmas preparations, yesterday we headed into town for the Christmas lights switch on.
Manned by an amazing team of volunteers they did the town proud.

And a final message from my little helpers...

Have you been making Christmas Pudding today?!

 

x x x

 

Disclaimer: Yeo Valley sent me some ingredients and the Cornishware pudding bowl so I could take part in Stir Up Sunday. 

Ginger Cupcakes with Chocolate Gingerbread Stars {Recipe & Review}



 

The time of year is getting closer when I begin to think about mulling some cider and filling the air with the aroma of Christmas spices, like ginger and cinnamon. Today I made some simple ginger cupcakes to kick start that feeling.



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Makes 12

 

120g SR Flour

120g light brown sugar

90g Greek vanilla yogurt

30g butter

2 eggs

half a tsp ginger

 

Mix all of the above until smooth.

Spoon equally into 12 bun cases.

Bake at 170c - 180c for 18 minutes.

Leave to cool.

Spread buttercream on top - I added some ginger to this too - and place your chocolate star on top.

 

Enjoy!

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The milk chocolate gingerbread star tops the cupcakes off perfectly and makes me feel just a little bit Christmassy. The star is one of eight that come in a box, neatly wrapped and presented, from Tesco's latest seasonal range. The chocolate is thick and chunky and topped with caramelised biscuit and ginger crumble and a white chocolate swirl.

I also sampled the above Chokablok Santastic Cinnamon chocolate tree. I think they knew my love of these flavours but don't think the delivery man appreciated his package - spot the jigsaw effect. The tree is good quality chocolate decorated with a white chocolate swirl and topped with cinnamon and gold dusted malt balls and caramelised biscuit and ginger crumble. I couldn't resist topping it with a star. Both of the products taste of a high quality chocolate - which hints at the fact they have been created by master chocolatiers behind Hotel Chocolat and Harrods - but retail at a more affordable price: £4 for the stars and £5 for the tree. A perfect stocking filler.

x x x



Disclaimer: I received the chocolates for review purposes from Tesco. As always views and opinions are honest and are on my own.

Starry Mince Pies vs Chocolate Alternative - The Kids Decide

 vs 

It may still only be November but I was feeling a little bit festive today and decided to make some mince pies. Now the last time I made mince pies they were bloomin' awful but my pastry skills have improved somewhat lately *blows own foghorn* Paaaarp! Obviously the kiddies had to get involved and a little bit of bribery and corruption was up my sleeve for them to cooperate with the vlogging later in this post - yes! Vlogging! Sort of!

So, the mince pies. We managed to make 10 using the following based upon the fact that was all the plain flour I had! You will need:

110g/4oz plain flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

55g/2oz butter

half tsp vanilla essence

2 tbsps cold water

mincemeat

icing sugar

Sift the plain flour into a large bowl and stir in the caster sugar.

Add the butter and rub in with fingers until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the vanilla and the water and bind together.

Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Grab two small children and ask them to roll out the pastry and cut out circles - to fit your previously greased tin - and stars to go on top.

Line the tin with the circles, put in about 2 teaspoons of mincemeat and top with a star.

Bake at 170c (fan oven) for 18-20 minutes.

Cool on a baking tray.

Sprinkle with snow icing sugar.

And Voila!

Then get your children to eat one and tell you what they think!

 

I am so impressed that Edith vlogged so well for me and that she actually liked something I baked! RESULT!

As a bribe special treat for being so helpful I let the children try a scrummy alternative mince pie that I had received to sample from Hotel Chocolat. Mmmmmm chocolate! These are milk and dark chocolate pralines with salted caramel in milk chocolate shells. A rather tasty sounding alternative if you're not a fan of traditional mince pies. Or a rather nice extra treat if you're feeling indulgent!

How cute do they look?

Here's what my chocolate reviewer thought:

 

That's my girl! She likes the chocolates but still appreciates a good bit of home baking!

But what about the boy?! Well I let him sample some other Hotel Chocolat christmas goodies - perfect treats for the kiddies this one.

Here's what he thought:

 

A Tiddly Penguin - yum!

So all in all I think the battle of the mince pies has resulted in a draw. Home baking is great but a treat from Hotel Chocolat is always worth it for a bit of Christmas indulgence.

Disclaimer: I received the Hotel Chocolat products at no cost to myself in order to review.