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. 



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.

Welly walks and chocolate fridge cake

It was just me and the kiddies today, such is the joys of the husband running his own business. We spent the morning baking and making chocolate delights so we stayed close to home and ventured out locally exploring the neighbouring fields. Despite them being on our doorstep we rarely go across them but today the kiddies decided we should walk to the play park, a good half hour away. We left with the sun shining and me muttering something about the weatherman always getting it wrong.

We walked through fields hoping the threat of builders and new homes fades away, we saw signs of sheep, fought our way through Gruffalo dens, spotted autumn leaves. Then the heavens opened; time to return home. Soaked anyway we jumped in puddles and ran up the lanes back to a hot bath and chocolate fridge cake...