A couple of new chocolate bars we’ve been experimenting with…
This somewhat rustic looking block is the result of scattering chopped chunks of cold, tempered caramelised white chocolate over the mould before filling it with our 74% Tanzanie blend. It’s a nice flavour combination…
We’ve also been trying to perfect a mint crisp bar…
We began by boiling up mint leaves in a little water before blitzing and straining them to create a very green mint tea. We added some peppermint oil to intensify the flavour and then boiled the liquid up with sugar to create a crystallised mint-flavoured candy.
When cool, the candy was pulverised in the food processor and incorporated into a batch of tempered chocolate.
The end result was a dark chocolate bar with little nuggets of mint candy throughout – a great after dinner treat!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Dear Madam, Please accept our order for instant delivery of above pictured mint candy chocolate. Any quantity, any time. Yours gratefully, Brian and Joanna.
I’d like to get in on that order, as well!
I especially love the look of the chocolate mint bars.
You are amazing, Celia!
Ditto! Dark chocolate-white chocolate sounds sublime…topped only by the possibility of chocolate-mint, my all-time favorite flavor combination! =)
My husband just requested some – hope you made enough for all your readers!
;-)
Wow, what a superb idea, making your own mint crisp to cover in chocolate. They look utterly stunning – I’m sure you could set up a very successful business selling those, looks like I’m next in the queue for some!!!
Love the idea of the double chocolate bar too, can you taste the caramelized white chocolate in amongst the dark chocolate?
Submit them to a company, they sounds delightful :P. On second thoughts, package them, send them to me and I’ll “sell” them for you.
Both bars sound delightful! I’m not sure which one sounds better, but I think we’d favor the mint one. Sure wish you were selling some, at prices I could afford. However, at the moment, I don’t think the chocolate would travel very well to the states, without special packaging. Its been ~ 95° F here the past 6 days and doesn’t look to end soon:(
Please add me to that order! I really miss Peppermint Crisps although your version sounds much better. Do let us all know when you open your online shop. :)
Aaah, you’re all very kind, thank you! These were fun to make, and have been going down a treat with friends and neighbours.
Abby and C, the dark-caramelised white chocolate combination has been really popular – I think the mix of the two makes both of them slightly better than each on their own (very Gestaltist of me, I know.. ;-))…
Frugalfeeding, thanks for stopping by! :)
And Mel, I hope the heat lets up soon – lots of my US friends have been struggling with it…
Celia x
Do you realize there’s a very long queue forming for these chocolate bars? I am at the head of it!!!!
Wow Celia, you’re giving Willy Wonka a run for his money!
I think you could have a career as a chocolatiere, if you wanted it! Both bars sound really good!
I want some too!
both bars look and sound tantalisingly delicious and i love the way you made the minty bits..jane
They’re such great sounding bars, both of them! The mint bar has to tbe my favorite though, and I’m so glad you resisted the radioactive looking green food dye look! Great job, yummmm…..
:-) I told you, you could set up a side bar business! Everyone would be clambering for them.
We are on to the last rations and they taste….WONDERFUL.
xx
The chocolate with mint is my idea of heaven. I love love love mint sticks and this looks even better!
Nom nom nom…. Looks amazing. You need to have an order form at the bottom of each blog girlfriend. I’m starving for a bite. :) Your so inspiring, I totally need to have a crack at some chocolate making. Although, I think that could be dangerous, having choccies in the house mean I HAVE to eat them. Lol. :)
Ooh…! You MUST sell your choc-creations, Celia, seriously.
The mint bar had me caught in a slobbering trance…superb. Please advise when the shopping cart feature is being added to your blog, I too shall be eagerly taking a place in the queue. ;)
“Please, Miss, Please, Miss” she said, sitting up very straight at the back of the classroom with one hand stretched high and waving in the air!
I’d love to try the white chocolate combo – looks much more fancy than Top Deck! And throw the word ‘caramelised’ into the mix? You’ve got me. Now I’m sitting here pondering more chocolate combo ideas ..
Does the peppermint oil not dominate so much that the real mint has no effect on taste? Might have to try this one!
Oh my hat, Celia, they both look awesome!
After reading this, I feel like walking to supermarket for some chocolate :)
Having been lucky enough to try both I have to say that they’re both spectacular :D
I love the idea of making my own mint chocolate! Did you use an essential oil?
Thank you all!
Brydie and Lorraine, glad you both enjoyed them! :)
Tandy, not an essential oil, but a peppermint cooking essence/oil, if that makes sense. Not something we’d use in a fragrance burner.. :)
Kat, yes the peppermint oil did dominate – in the end I think the fresh mint only contributed a hint of colour. Not sure we’d bother with it again next time. I had some homemade spearmint extract, but because it was vodka based, we didn’t think it would work with the candy…
Absolute perfection Celia. Fabulous.
:-) Mandy
Wow Celia! Add me to your list as well, please. I think they would sell very well at the Farmer’s Market here.
We’ve been having way too much rain lately, so hopefully there’s sunny weather coming soon.
Celia, once again you have created something stunning. If I could have 3 wishes they would be for your patience, perseverance – and to live next door to you. ;-)
Mandy, Manuela, Amanda, thank you! :)
Manuela, the rain’s finally stopped here too, thank goodness!
Amanda, it would be lovely if we could all live on the same street! I often think the blogosphere is a bit like that – a virtual global neighbourhood.. :)
Ah Celia – mint crisp – a real mint crisp. That is fabulous. It was an amazing way to create the crispy bits. I love the way you think about food. A true genius!
Thanks Gill! It’s been a big hit with the mint lovers – isn’t it interesting how strongly people feel about mint chocolate? They either love it or hate it, there doesn’t seem to be an in-between.. :)
I’ll have one of each please, oh and one of your praline bars too. Really, your chocolate is amazing – I don’t think I’ve ever seen bars as shiny as yours. Really like the contrast of textures in these too as well as the flavours. You are a true inspiration.
Choc, thank you very much – high praise coming from the chocolate connoisseur! :)
Do you check old posts? I finally had a go at the mint candy. Could have done with more peppermint essence I think (how much did you use?), Once it was in the chocolate I couldn’t really taste the mint (I just get the crunch!). I haven’t tempered chocolate before (and didn’t have any couveture) so I just melted some chocolate and mixed it in. Not quite the same, but good enough for now!
That’s good to know, thanks for trying it out, Kat! Pete made the mint candy for me, which is why I didn’t have more specific instructions, but he did say he had to use quite a lot of peppermint oil to make it minty. :)
Your amazing….