Need a last minute gift idea? You can make these quick and very decadent little French confections called Mendiants.
I instantly got inspired to make them the second I saw them featured on the beautiful blog, Manger. They’re surprisingly simple to make and inexpensive yet they look like such a high quality treat!
Gather up some dried fruit and nuts, I’m sure you have some in your pantry or cabinets already, use whatever you like, you won’t need much just a handful of each. One other component I added was flaky sea salt, the salt complimented the chocolate so well and gave it a little crunch, I highly recommend using it.
Make sure you use premium dark chocolate and slowly simmer until melted over a double boiler. I bought a 1 pound bar and was able to make 42 mendiants out of it.
Some ideas for toppings are orange peel, apricots, cranberries, golden raisins, figs, coconut, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and cashews to name a few. I did plump up my figs, cranberries and golden raisins by placing them in boiling water for 1 minute, make sure to dry them off.
A little goes a long way, you can quarter your figs and cut off small slices from your apricots, you don’t even need to add as much topping as I did.
Now go find some pretty little boxes to place them in and you’re good to go!
Wishing all of you my dear readers a Very Merry Christmas! xox
- Inspired and adapted from the blog, Manger.
- 1 lb. premium dark chocolate, chopped
- A small mix of dried fruits and nuts, set out and ready to go
- Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Melt 80% of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over an inch of gently simmering water. When chocolate is melted take off the heat and add the other 20% of the chocolate, stirring until all is melted.
- Take a teaspoon of the melted chocolate and drop on to the parchment and smooth out a round disc shape.
- Only do 6 at a time,so as not to cool down the chocolate, then add your desired toppings and finish by sprinkling them with the flaky sea salt.
- Continue until finished, if chocolate starts to harden, place bowl over the simmering water again to melt. ( I didn't have to do it, it stayed melted and warm).
- Let them harden in a cool place or your refrigerator for 15 minutes, then lift off.
- Makes 42
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
Hi Marie – My sister has a small chocolate shoppe and we work dilligently at making wonderful treats. A tip for you to try… put your chocolate in a microwave bowl and put on high power for 20-30 seconds at a time stirring well after each time. This does a few things. One it keeps your chocolate away from water, if water gets into the chocolate it will become grainy. It takes very little water for this to happen. Second the steam may make your chocolate cloudy. And third, if the temp is too high it only takes a second to scorch the chocolate. I find that the microwave is faster, safer and just makes sense. Try it and let me know what you think. Also a small amount of drizzle across the finished treat helps to secure the fruit and nuts on top. A contrasting white chocolate makes it look clean and adds some pizzazz! Marie, I want to thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas, you inspire me!
What a wonderful and easy homemade gift idea! These are beautiful, Marie! Enjoy the holidays with your family!!
Well Marie – Now I’m kicking myself for not making these after seeing both your and Stacey’s creations. Next year, these will be among the gifts I make for friends and family. Buon Natale cara Marie.
What a great idea ! They look very beautiful. Merry Christmas from California.
Ralph.
Oh my, but what a classic French treat. What beautiful work, Marie. These are perfect. You’d have me “begging ” for more! Buon Natale a te e la tua famiglia, amica!
I made these also last week from Manger, and again last night!
They were such a big hit! and you must have figs!
Merry Christmas! xo
These look absolutely delicious. And, I find chocolate (anything brown) really difficult to photograph, and you managed to make it look wonderful.
These are beautiful. Just coming off my Twelve Days of Goodies, I have lots of dribs and drabs of ingredients that could be wonderful toppings. Thank you once again for inspiration.
They look wonderful. Colorful like everything else I find here. Is there a box on a fedex truck somewhere for me? 🙂
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Your lovely chocolates look like little jewel boxes. Merry Christmas.