Abricots au Chocolat

Ingredients

1. 20 dried apricots

2. 100 g dark chocolate

Method

Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler

(or in a heat-resistant bowl set over a pan of simmering water). Remove from heat. Drop the apricots in the chocolate and stir until well coated. Use a fork to lift the apricots from the bowl, and deposit them carefully on a feuille guitare, a sheet of parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Leave out to dry, preferably somewhere cool and safely hidden from children, chocoholics, or any combination of the two.

This is a good way to use up the melted chocolate leftover from other chocolate confections. You could also dip just one half of the apricots for a pretty semi-dipped effect.

Chocolate fondue with fruit platter

Ingredients

1. 110g/4oz sugar

2. 110ml4fl oz water

3. 400g/14oz plain chocolate, broken in pieces

4. 2 tbsp golden syrup

selection of fruits cut in bite-sized pieces such as orange, banana, grapes, dates or pineapple.

Method

1. Heat the sugar and water together to make a sugar syrup.

2. Melt the chocolate gently over a pan of hot water or in the microwave on low power.

3. Stirring all the time, add the golden syrup and enough sugar syrup to give the required coating consistency.

4. Serve with the platter of fruit.

Mini Meringues with Chocolate Fondue

Serves: 6Prep Time: 15 minsBaking

Time: 1 hour 15 minsSuggested with: Strawberries

Ingredients
1. 3 medium egg whites

2. 50g (2oz) Billington’s Golden Caster Sugar

3. 50g (2oz) Billington’s Light Muscovado Sugar

4. 50g (2oz) Billington’s Dark Muscovado Sugar

5. 200g bar dark chocolate

6. 142ml carton double cream

7. 25ml (1floz) mild olive oil

8. 500g packet strawberries

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 110ºC / 90ºC fan / Gas Mark 1. Whisk the egg white in a clean grease-free bowl until stiffly peaking.

2. Take one third of the egg white and put it into another bowl. Take another third of the egg white and put that into another bowl.

3. Gradually whisk in the Golden Caster sugar into one bowl of egg white, just 1 tbsp at a time. Slowly whisk the Light Muscovado sugar into another bowl, and whisk the Dark Muscovado sugar into the third bowl.

4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Then dollop teaspoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the baking sheets. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave in the oven for another 30 minutes.

5. Put the chocolate, cream and olive oil into a bowl, resting over a pan of simmering water. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate into a little pot and arrange on a serving platter with the meringues and strawberries.