Wendi Peters Pudding Queen: Drambuie Marzipans and Chocolate Peppermint Creams to finish ...

I decided to finish off the dinner party with chocolate s to go with coffee and thought I'd have a go at making them instead of popping to the shops ... had a whole day to play in the kitchen for once !!
I loved making them as I'm a little OCD and they tasted wonderful ( even if I do say so myself!!)

Drambuie Marzipans ( or whatever you have in the cupboard )

Makes around 30

250g Marzipan ( shop bought )
2 tablespoons Drambuie
150 g Dark Chocolate ( at least 54% cocoa solids )
Icing sugar for rolling
Almonds to decorate ( whole and peeled )

Put the marzipan in a bowl and knead and mix in the drambuie.
Put in fridge to chill for an hour.
Spinkle icing sugar on the work top and roll out marzipan to 1 cm thickness ( or whatever thickness you wish )
Cut into rectangles or roll into balls if you prefer.
Place on a piece of baking parchment on a baking tray and chill again.
Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a bowl, either in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water.
Using a cocktail stick, dip the marzipans into the chocolate and let it drip off back into the bowl, then replace on the baking sheet and put an almond on top to decorate.
Repeat till all the chocolates have been done and then put in the fridge to set. ( they are best kept in the fridge until just before serving )

Before Choc .....

And after ....

If you are a marzipan lover like me ... Enjoy x

And now

Chocolate Peppermint Creams

These are so simple to make...... Makes around 40 ( best to make day before needed as they need to dry out before putting on chocolate )

1 large egg white
400g icing sugar ( could be a little more or less depending on egg size)
extra icing sugar for rolling and dusting
2 teaspoons peppermint extract ( or creme de menthe )
few drops of green colouring ( if you want to )
150g Dark Chocolate ( at least 54% cocoa solids )

Method

Lightly whisk the egg white until frothy but not holding it's shape.
Gradually stir in the icing sugar and peppermint extract and colouring to create a pliable paste.
Put in fridge for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle icing sugar on the work top and roll out the paste to a 1 cm thickness ( you'll need lots of icing sugar as it easily sticks)
Using a cutter, makes shapes or just roll in a ball and press flat.
Place on baking parchment on a baking tray and leave ( covered ) for 24 hours.

Melt chocolate in a bowl, either in microwave or over a pan of simmering water.
Dip the creams into the chocolate until half covered and place back on baking parchment.
Put in fridge to set and they are best kept in a tin in the fridge until just before serving.

They went down very well at the dinner party even after all those puds !

Before choc...