Chocolate stirrers

chocolate stirrer christmas dessert easy family friendly gift hot chocolate kids kids cooking treat winter

N/A

Makes 8

Source

Ingredients

vegetable oil , for the mould

400g dark chocolate or milk chocolate, chopped

3 whole cardamom pods , husks removed and seeds ground to a powder

2 tsp chopped pistachios

1 small unwaxed orange or tangerine, finely zested

2 tsp candied peel , finely chopped

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4 squares white chocolate , finely grated or shaved

1 tsp freeze-dried raspberries

¼ whole star anise , finely ground

an ice lolly mould

small wooden spoons or ice lolly sticks

Method

Lightly oil the ice lolly moulds. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, stirring occasionally – take care to not scald the chocolate, as this will make it waxy and granular. Alternatively melt the chocolate in short, sharp bursts in a microwave on a medium heat. Put the spoons or lolly sticks into the holes of the lolly mould.

Divide the melted chocolate into four separate bowls. Now work quickly to add the different flavours. Stir the ground cardamom into one bowl and fill two lolly moulds to the top of the spoon, then sprinkle on the chopped pistachios. Mix the orange zest into the next bowl, then fill two moulds to the top of the spoon and top with candied peel. Mix the nutmeg into the next bowl, then fill two moulds as before and top with white chocolate. Add the star anise to the final bowl of chocolate, mix, then fill the remaining moulds and top with the freeze-dried raspberries.

Chill the moulds in the fridge for at least 2-3 hrs. When the chocolate has completely set, ease the stirrers out of the moulds, wrap each spoon in cellophane and secure with string. Add a label that reads ‘Stir me into hot milk’, if you like. Keep cool until you need them.