Two New Chocolate Bars

July 25, 2011 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged caramelised white chocolate, caramelized white chocolate, chocolate experiments, making chocolate at home, mint chocolate bar, tempering chocolate | 38 Comments

38 Responses

on July 25, 2011 at 12:19 am Joanna

Dear Madam, Please accept our order for instant delivery of above pictured mint candy chocolate. Any quantity, any time. Yours gratefully, Brian and Joanna.
on July 25, 2011 at 12:21 am heidi

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!
on July 25, 2011 at 12:48 am Abby

Ditto! Dark chocolate-white chocolate sounds sublime…topped only by the possibility of chocolate-mint, my all-time favorite flavor combination! =)
on July 25, 2011 at 1:24 am sallybr

My husband just requested some – hope you made enough for all your readers!
;-)
on July 25, 2011 at 2:49 am C

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?
on July 25, 2011 at 3:53 am frugalfeeding

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.
on July 25, 2011 at 4:21 am Melanie

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:(
on July 25, 2011 at 5:48 am Kate

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. :)
on July 25, 2011 at 6:17 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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
on July 25, 2011 at 6:41 am Jeannette

Do you realize there’s a very long queue forming for these chocolate bars? I am at the head of it!!!!
on July 25, 2011 at 6:54 am Sue

Wow Celia, you’re giving Willy Wonka a run for his money!
on July 25, 2011 at 7:29 am Suelle

I think you could have a career as a chocolatiere, if you wanted it! Both bars sound really good!
on July 25, 2011 at 7:57 am bagnidilucca

I want some too!
on July 25, 2011 at 8:04 am teawithhazel

both bars look and sound tantalisingly delicious and i love the way you made the minty bits..jane
on July 25, 2011 at 8:16 am InTolerantChef

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…..
on July 25, 2011 at 8:19 am cityhippyfarmgirl

:-) 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
on July 25, 2011 at 8:20 am Claire @ Claire K Creations

The chocolate with mint is my idea of heaven. I love love love mint sticks and this looks even better!
on July 25, 2011 at 9:30 am Anna Johnston

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. :)
on July 25, 2011 at 11:46 am Christine

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. ;)
on July 25, 2011 at 12:50 pm Jan

“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!
on July 25, 2011 at 2:06 pm Keely aka The Richest Girl in Bondi

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 ..
on July 25, 2011 at 2:34 pm Kat

Does the peppermint oil not dominate so much that the real mint has no effect on taste? Might have to try this one!
on July 25, 2011 at 2:35 pm theonlycin

Oh my hat, Celia, they both look awesome!
on July 25, 2011 at 3:52 pm Tes

After reading this, I feel like walking to supermarket for some chocolate :)
on July 25, 2011 at 4:14 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

Having been lucky enough to try both I have to say that they’re both spectacular :D
on July 25, 2011 at 5:52 pm Tandy

I love the idea of making my own mint chocolate! Did you use an essential oil?
on July 25, 2011 at 8:37 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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…
on July 26, 2011 at 12:59 am thecompletecookbook

Absolute perfection Celia. Fabulous.
:-) Mandy
on July 26, 2011 at 7:20 am Manuela

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.
on July 26, 2011 at 9:43 am Amanda

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. ;-)
on July 26, 2011 at 11:30 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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.. :)
on July 27, 2011 at 5:15 am Gillian

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!
- on July 27, 2011 at 6:10 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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.. :)
on August 3, 2011 at 6:10 am Choclette

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.
- on August 3, 2011 at 6:39 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Choc, thank you very much – high praise coming from the chocolate connoisseur! :)
on August 15, 2011 at 9:44 am Kat

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!
- on August 15, 2011 at 9:50 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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. :)
on September 11, 2011 at 10:08 am Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

Your amazing….