These easy fruit & nut chocolate buttons (also known as mendiants) make a fab quick and easy homemade gift idea that's easy enough for kids to make themselves!
It's day three of the Eats Amazing Advent Calendar, and today I'm bringing you the first of several delicious homemade gift ideas that are super easy and perfect for children to make, all by themselves.
Today's recipe is for Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons, a really simple recipe that takes no time at all to make but looks really impressive and of course is completely delicious!
As I mentioned above, this post is part ofthe Eats Amazing Fun Food Advent Calendar. Every day from now until Christmas I’m sharing a new festive food idea and I’m announcing them over on thenewAdvent Calendar pagetoo, so do click on the link, bookmark it and pop back each day to see what’s new!
Yesterday I shared some yummy snowman smoothies, today it’s these fruit and nut chocolate buttons and tomorrow… you’ll have to come back for that one!
I've specifiedthe fruit and nuts that I used to make oursin the recipe, but this is a very adaptable recipe so you can use whatever fruits and nuts you have to hand, or even just fruit, or just nuts if you prefer.
You might well have everything you need for this in your cupboards already - have a hunt around and see if you can find any dried fruit or nuts lying forgotten at the back of a kitchen cupboard - it's a great recipe to use them up and you'll get some money-saving presents made at the same time - now that's multitasking!
I used a mini tart tray to mould my buttons, but you can also use a silicone muffin tray, individual silicone cupcake cases or even a fun shaped chocolate mould - star or flower shapes would be particularlypretty!
If you don't have any kind of mould, you can also make them free-hand by dropping the chocolate onto a baking sheet or tray lined with baking paper - they might not be quite as neat but they'll be every bit as delicious! This is the traditional way to make mendiants too, so they'll be beautifully authentic!
Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons
Ingredients:
- 150g dark or milk chocolate
- 7 walnut halves
- 8 pecan nuts
- small handful mixed jumbo raisins
- small handful cranberries
- small handul shelled pistachios
Method:
Break up the chocolate and place it in a microwave safe bowl.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each one to ensure it melts evenly. Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate, heat only until just melted and smooth.
Drop small spoonfuls of the chocolate into a silicone tart tray or cupcake cases, swirling it around with the spoon to cover the bottom of each cup. Place a walnut half or pecan nut in the middle of each chocolate button, then add a few each of the raisins, cranberries and pistachios around the edges.
Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate.
Once finished, place the chocolate buttons in the fridge to set - 15 minutes or so should do it.
Once set, remove from the fridge, pop out of the moulds and serve, store in an air-tight container or bag up in cellophane bags to give as gifts.
Enjoy!
NOTES: This recipe is naturally gluten free and is easily adapted to keep it allergy friendly. You can makeit dairy free by using dairy free chocolate, and of course omit the nuts and just used a variety of dried fruits for a nut free treat.
Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see thenext fun project in the Eats Amazing advent calendar!
Looking for more Christmas gift ideas to make with kids? Check out this collection of 30 easy edible gift ideas that kids can make for Christmas!
Or you might also like these similar gift recipes:
Giant Chocolate Jazzies
Sweet Chocolate Mendiants
Giant White Chocolate Rainbow Jazzies!
For more delicious and fun food ideas for the festive season,check out the Christmas Food section here on the Eats Amazing blog or pop over and follow my ChristmasPinterest boards for lots more fun ideas from around the web; Christmas, Cute Christmas Food Ideas and Healthy Christmas Food.
Grace
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes
Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons
Fruit & nut chocolate buttons make a fab quick and easy homemade gift idea that's easy enough for kids to make themselves - perfect for Christmas presents!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Chilling Time15 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Course: Gift, Snack
Cuisine: British, Christmas
Servings: 15 buttons
Author: Grace Hall
Ingredients
- 150 g dark or milk chocolate
- 7 walnut halves
- 8 pecan nuts
- small handful mixed jumbo raisins
- small handful cranberries
- small handul shelled pistachios
Instructions
Break up the chocolate and place it in a microwave safe bowl.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each one to ensure it melts evenly. Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate, heat only until just melted and smooth.
Drop small spoonfuls of the chocolate into a silicone tart tray or cupcake cases, swirling it around with the spoon to cover the bottom of each cup.
Place a walnut half or pecan nut in the middle of each chocolate button, then add a few each of the raisins, cranberries and pistachios around the edges.
Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate.
Once finished, place the chocolate buttons in the fridge to set – 15 minutes or so should do it.
Once set, remove from the fridge, pop out of the moulds to serve and store in an air-tight container.
Notes
This recipe is naturally gluten free and is easily adapted to keep it allergy friendly. You can make it dairy free by using dairy free chocolate, and of course omit the nuts and just used a variety of dried fruits for a nut free treat.
Love this recipe idea? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
