Spicy Chocolate Mendiants

Mendiants are chocolate discs stuffed with nuts and dried fruits. My recipe is merely one way you could take this but the flavor combinations are endless. If you have never tasted chocolate and cayenne pepper, I strongly suggest it. The flavor is not immediate on your tongue but comes up quick in the back of your throat a couple seconds later.

Sweet chocolate folded with a variety of toasted nuts, coconut and fragrances like hot cayenne, spicy cinnamon and fresh citrus.




Spicy Chocolate Mendiant

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4c toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp finely minced orange zest
5 tbl toasted shredded coconut, divided
2 tbl toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbl slivered toasted almonds
2 tbl golden raisins
coarse sea salt

Prepare a muffin tin to shape the chocolate discs. Cut large pieces of foil out and line each muffin tin so the chocolate can be easily removed.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate, cinnamon and cayenne. Melt for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between for 10 seconds. Do this three times and then stir by hand to melt the remaining chocolate. You want the residual heat of the chocolate to finish melting it all. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the chocolate except 1 tbl of coconut and the salt. Drop one tablespoon of the mixture into each cup and smooth out flat with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle each top with sea salt and the remaining coconut. Chill in the fridge to set up.