The crack of dark chocolate followed by a tangy explosion of the fresh mandarin segment within….mmmm. With mandarins in season, there is no time like the present to indulge.
Let’s face it, I’ve read enough to believe that dark chocolate is good for us. The darker the better, chocolate produces wonderful endorphins that we enjoy and help us lead a happy and fulfilling life (she says, while skipping merrily to the fridge to get some more). So with no convincing necessary, it was pretty easy to choose which decadent Whittaker’s chocolate would feature in this delicious recipe: Dark Ghana 72%, hands down.
Mandarin segments freshly dipped in dark chocolate are divine. Like a chocolate fruit liqueur but fresher and without the liqueur! In saying that, I may try the same thing again in a few months once my Drunken Mandarins have matured!
I find the best way to melt chocolate is definitely in an aluminum bowl resting over a saucepan of boiling water. The cubes of chocolate melt in no time and with a little stirring it’s easy to get to the right consistency.
Dark Chocolate Mandarin Drops
Ingredients
- Mandarins
- dark chocolate
- freeze-dried fruit, to garnish (optional)
Method
- Peel and segment the mandarins, removing as much as the stringy pith as possible.
- Melt chocolate in an aluminum bowl resting over a saucepan of boiling water. Stir well to a smooth consistency.
- Dip each mandarin segment into the melted dark chocolate with a teaspoon turn each piece ensuring it’s fully coated before turning out onto a tray lined with baking paper to dry.
- Before it has the opportunity to harden, crush some freeze-dried raspberries and sprinkle some on top (optional). It adds a lovely vibrancy and flavour intensity too!
