DECORATED CHOCOLATE BARS

This is an idea for a delicious edible Christmas gift that you can also use for other occasions. Beautiful chocolate bars are very easy to make, yet they allow you to create a high-quality dessert that pleases both the mouth and the eyes. Making these chocolates is a wonderful activity to do together with your little ones. You'll not only create a dessert but also foster creativity.

Ingredients

For 2 chocolate bars

• 200 g of dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)

• Dried fruits - apricots / cranberries / raisins / goji berries / freeze-dried raspberries or others

• Nuts - hazelnuts / pecans / almonds / pistachios or others

• For decorating - melted chocolate / salt / orange zest / coconut flakes or others

Instructions

I melt the chocolate using a double boiler method. I fill one pot with water, and when it boils, I place a smaller pot inside it and add the dark chocolate for melting. If I were to put the chocolate pot directly on the heat, it would burn, harden and melt unevenly.

Next, I prepare the dried fruits. If needed, I chop larger fruits like apricots into smaller pieces.

If desired, I also chop the nuts with a knife.

Now, I start making the chocolates.

I pour one layer of chocolate into a dish lined with parchment paper, followed by another layer.

On top of the chocolate, I arrange the desired design with nuts and fruits. For one chocolate, I used freeze-dried raspberries and chopped almonds, while for another I included cranberries, apricots, goji berries, hazelnuts and pecans. I encourage you to create your own chocolate combinations! This is where your imagination can really run wild. Kids will especially love it!

If you want a snowy effect, you can sprinkle the chocolates with coconut flakes.

If there's some melted chocolate left, you can drizzle it over the chocolate bars you made.

I put the chocolates in the fridge (or on a cold balcony) to cool.

The chocolates can be given as individual bars or you can break them into pieces and place them in a jar or box to gift chocolate bites.

BON APPETIT!