Chocolate Almond and Fig Clusters

THIS IS A GREEN RECIPE

This is the perfect snack, the chocolate is the 70% cocoa kind, so less calories and the almonds and dried figs are sweet, crunchy and very good for you.

Melt your chocolate 100 gram chocolate bar in a bowl over hot water

When melted add enough almonds and chopped up figs so that they are covered in chocolate and there is no excess chocolate in the bowl (like when you make rice crispy cakes) – ½ cup of each or more

Use a teaspoon to spoon the clusters onto a greaseproof paper lined tray or plate

Put them in the fridge to set

When cold and hard store in a rigid container in the fridge, they can last for ages if they are not eaten up in a few days!

*you can use half dark and half milk chocolate if you find the chocolate too rich but this will increase the fat content*

Ways With...Brioche

This is going to be a regular feature of my blog, where I highlight a particular ingredient or favourite food that is versatile. First off is brioche which is a new discovery for me.
Brioche is a sweet bread that originates from France. I have often looked at it in the supermarket with its sunny yellow glaze and wondered whether I should try it, it looked so inviting. I eventually did and wasn’t disappointed. The slightly sweet taste makes it perfect for breakfast, but also means it’s a great base for sweet dishes. I personally love brioche spit open with ham inside like a little sandwich, or a hotdog weiner, it reminds me of the baked goods from my favourite Chinese bakery.
However if you like sweet things, try brioche in bread and butter pudding, filled with ice cream as an ice cream sandwich or covered in icing/frosting to make a simple iced bun.
For the iced buns, make sure your icing is quite thick as it often slips off the shiny brown top of the brioche, you might also have to add a couple of layers if this is indeed the case.