Fruit & nut chocolate chequers

Method

• step 1

  Roughly chop the chocolate on chopping boards with a large sharp knife – chopping rather than breaking it into squares will help it to melt nice and quickly. Get someone to help if necessary. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

• step 2

  Put 2 heatproof mixing bowls over pans half-filled with water – make sure that the base of the bowls doesn’t touch the water. Add the chocolate, then leave to melt over a gentle heat. Once it starts to melt round the edges of the bowl, stir gently just once or twice, then leave to melt again. Remove from the heat.

• step 3

  Take care, as the bowls will be hot. Using a teaspoon, spoon the melted chocolates onto the paper in round shapes as evenly sized as possible – you need 16 of each type of chocolate. Leave a teaspoon of the white chocolate in the basin for later.

• step 4

  To decorate the white chocolates, chop the raspberry flakes, then scatter on half the rounds and top with 2 almond halves. Put a pecan on the rest, then swirl over a little of the chocolate left in the bowl. Sprinkle with cocoa.

• step 5

  To make the dark chocolates, scatter half the rounds with the candied peel and the other half with the chopped cranberries and sugared cashews. Or try a combination of them all.

• step 6

  Leave the chocolates to set and harden for about 3 hours (the dark chocolate will set before the white), then pack carefully into a box. They will keep for a week.