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Free-Form Chocolate Candies

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Freeform chocolate candies decorated with various toppings like candied ginger candied citrus and other nuts and dried...
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott

Known as mendiants in France, these adorned chocolate bites are a holiday tradition.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 30

Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
Toppings as desired (such as pecan halves; dried tart cherries; thinly sliced dried figs; thinly sliced candied ginger; puffed quinoa or rice; salted, roasted pumpkin seeds; bee pollen; flaky sea salt; and/or demerara sugar)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Turn a rimmed baking sheet over and place a sheet of parchment paper on top. Spoon or pipe quarter-size mounds of chocolate onto parchment, spacing about 2" apart (you should have about 30). Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread outward in a circular motion to make silver-dollar-size disks. Top as desired. (You don’t need to use all the toppings on every disk.) Chill until cold and set, 30–35 minutes.

    Step 2

    Carefully peel candies off of parchment just before serving.

  2. Do Ahead

    Step 3

    Candies can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.

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