Mendiants

A mendiant is a traditional French confection composed of a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits representing the four mendicant or monastic orders of the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites. Each of the nuts and dried fruits used refer to the color of monastic robes with tradition dictating raisins for the Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustins, dried fig for Franciscans and almond for Carmelite.

Usually found during Christmas, recipes for this confection have veered away from the traditional combination of nuts and fruits to other combinations incorporating seeds, fruit peels and other items, even fleur de sel.

Here are some suggestions:

Nuts : pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, pralines
Fruits : dark and blond raisins, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, prunes, crystallized ginger, crystallized orange rind, dried pears, pomegranite seeds)
Other : big grains of chouquette sugar, fleur de sel, pink peppercorns

4 ounces best-quality dark chocolate (or other good chocolate)
1 tablespoon green pistachio nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup blanched almonds
2-ounce strips of candied orange peel

Place a sheet of acetate or waxed paper on a marble slab or other smooth, cold surface. Melt chocolate in a microwave oven or in a bowl over hot water.

Place a scant teaspoonful of melted chocolate on the sheet, and shape into a disk using the back of a spoon. Make several at a time so that the chocolate does not become too cool. (Tip: trace circles on the waxed paper with a wooden skewer or other utensil to give you outlines to follow.)

Place a pistachio, raisin, almond, and halved strip of orange peel on each disk, and leave to cool completely. The mendiants are ready when they come off the acetate or waxed paper with ease.