I’ve seen a lot of tempting bakes using candy canes this winter. There’s something about the eye catching red and white stripes that really sand out and make these bakes look all the more tempting.
I initially had visions of rolling chocolate truffles in crushed up candy canes but sadly the canes were a bit too soft and sticky once crushed and it didn’t work out. Then this idea popped into my mind – dark, cocoa rich cookies dipped in snowy white chocolate and then sprinkled with the crushed up candy canes. It turns out that it was a great idea – the flavours really work – bitter, sweet, smooth with crunchy bits that have a hint of peppermint. A bit like an after eight mint in cookie form! These could now be one of my favourite festive after dinner treats.
For those who are less keen on a minty flavour profile, then these work just as well as simple white chocolate dipped chocolate cookies and decorated with some pretty sprinkles.
Chocolate and Candy Cane Biscuits
(dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, can be soya-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)
makes 15-20
- 115g or 1 cup of plain flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsps cornflour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of baking powder
- 55g or 1/4 cup hard vegetable fat
- 55g or 1/4 cup dairy-free margarine
- 100g or 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1-2 tbsp dairy-free milk
- 30g dairy-free white chocolate
- 1-2 candy canes, crushed and/or Christmas themed decorations
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, cornflour, salt and baking powder.
- In another bowl whisk together the fat, margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk and whisk again.
- Add the flour mix and carefully combine
- Roll out and cut out shapes with cookie cutters, small rectangles work well.
- Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes
- Cool on the sheet before moving to a wire rack.
- Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie and half dip each cookie into the melted chocolate
- Place back onto the lined baking sheet, sprinkle with decorations or crushed up candy canes and leave to set
