Les Mendiants - traditional French chocolate disks topped with nuts, dried fruits. Each ingredient represented one of the four monastic orders and the colours referred to the robe colours. Tradition shows that raisins represent the Dominicans, hazelnuts and walnuts the Augustinians, almonds the Carmelites and dried figs the Franciscans.
This sweet is usually sold during Christmas time and recipes have varied from the traditional one. Nowadays, you also find mediants topped with candied fruit to give them more of a sweet taste.
Préparation: 20 minutes
Pour: 15 mendiants
Preparation: 20 minutes
Ingrédients
- 75gr chocolate au lait
- 75gr chocolat noir
- écorces d'oranges confite
- des cerises confites
- amandes entiers et en flocons
- des pistaches
- des canneberges
Ingredients
- 75gr milk chocolate
- 75gr dark chocolate
- candied orange peel
- candied cherries
- almonds, whole and flaked
- pistachios
- cranberries
Méthode / Method
Faites fondre le chocolat au bain-marie dans deux bols. Dessinez des cercles sur du papier sulfurisé.
In separate bowls, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Draw circles on some baking paper.
Utilisez un coupe-pâte et versez une c.à.s. de chocolat.
Use a pastry cutter and spoon a thin layer of chocolate.
Décorez chaque disque avec les fruits et les noix.
Decorate each disk with the fruits and nuts.
Retirez le coupe-pâte une fois que vous avez placé les fruits et les noix sur le dessus et passez à la suivante. Laissez refroidir avant de les servir.
Remove the cutter once you set the fruit and nuts on top and go on to the next one. Let them cool before serving.
I'm sure you've probably seen these and maybe even made them at home as they are that easy to make. These are one of the thirteen desserts that are part of a Provencal Christmas Eve. You can find all about this tradition on my blog - Les traditions de Noël. Joyeux Noël!! x
