Fruit Nut Chocolate Chequers Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine butter, milk, sugar and honey. Bring to a full boil. Remove from the heat; stir in almonds and fruit. Stir in flour until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased and floured baking sheets. Spread batter with a spoon to form 2-1/2-in. circles. Bake at 350° until edges are lightly browned, 6-9 minutes. Cool on pans for 1 minute before carefully removing to waxed paper to cool completely. For coating, combine chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until melted. Spread 1 teaspoonful over the bottom of each cookie. When chocolate is almost set, draw wavy lines with a fork or cake decorating comb. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Roughly chop chocolate and place in the bowl to melt, stirring frequently, keeping the heat very low. Chop toasted nuts; using scissors, cut dried fruit into small pieces. Finely chop candied ginger and/or orange peel. Place fruit and nuts into a large mixing bowl.
• Once chocolate is melted and smooth, take it off the heat and stir fruit and nuts into the chocolate. Gently stir to combine so the fruit and nuts are all combined with the chocolate. Line a pan with parchment paper that's been sprayed with a little oil. Sprinkle cocoa powder over parchment and then add the chocolate mixture. Spread it out in an even layer. Dust with more cocoa powder and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Let it cool down and set in the refrigerator, 1 hour.
• When chocolate is set, run a knife around the edge to remove from the pan. Break or cut into pieces to make chunky chocolates.

Steps:

• Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape into three 10-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add egg; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Stir in dates, chopped walnuts and cherries.
• Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto greased baking sheets. Top each with a walnut half.
• Bake 9 to 11 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

Steps:

• Melt the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls suspended over pans of gently simmering water, stirring every now and then. Meanwhile, line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Leave the chocolate to cool for 10 mins.
• Pour the dark chocolate onto the tray and spread it into a rectangle, roughly 20 x 25cm. Drizzle over the white chocolate and create a swirled pattern by dragging a cocktail stick back and forth across the chocolate. Scatter over the nuts, fruit and sea salt, then leave somewhere cool to set.
• Break into shards or leave whole, wrap in cellophane or pack into a box, then tie up with ribbon. Will keep for 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Line small baking sheet with foil. Melt chocolate chips in medium bowl over saucepan of simmering water, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate onto foil, spreading with offset spatula to thickness of scant 1/4 inch. Scatter nuts and dried fruit over chocolate. Sprinkle with ginger. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Peel off foil. Cut chocolate into irregular pieces. Serve bark slightly chilled.