Mendiant

Mendiants are French-origin confections, traditionally made with a thin base of chocolate on which nuts and candied fruit are placed. They are often associated with the Christmas period and represent the four monastic mendicant orders, with each type of nut symbolizing a different group.

Ingredients

• 200 g of dark chocolate (or milk or white chocolate, depending on taste)
• An assortment of nuts, such as:
  • Almonds
  • Hazelnuts
  • Raisins
  • Pistachios
• Some pieces of candied fruit (optional)
• Spices like cinnamon or Sichuan pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, taking care not to burn it.
2. Once the chocolate is completely melted, use a teaspoon to drop chocolate disks onto a parchment paper. Create even circles.
3. While the chocolate is still soft, gently press a variety of nuts and candied fruit onto each disk. You can use an almond, a hazelnut, some raisins, and a pistachio piece to represent the tradition.
4. If you wish to add a special touch, you can sprinkle some spices on the mendiants before the chocolate cools.
5. Let the mendiants cool and harden completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
6. Once hardened, the mendiants are ready to be served or packaged in boxes to be given as gifts.

Curiosity

The name “mendiant” means “beggar” in French, and as mentioned, the ingredients on top of the chocolate represent the four different orders of mendicant monks: the almonds for the Carmelites, the figs for the Franciscans, the raisins for the Dominicans, and the hazelnuts for the Augustinians. Et voilà, you have created a confection with a story and deep roots in French culture!