Ruby Chocolate Mendiants

Before starting this Ruby Chocolate Mendiants recipe, temper the pink chocolate. Divide the chocolate into two batches: 200 grams and 100 grams. Place the 200 grams of Ruby chocolate in a bowl. Place the bowl into the oven preheated to 45°C so the chocolate melts slowly and gradually. This should take 2 to 3 hours.

Place the 100 grams of Ruby chocolate on a chopping board...

... and chop the pistoles with a knife. The chocolate chunks will melt more easily.

When the chocolate has melted in the oven and shows 45°C, take it out. Stir with a rubber spatula. The use of a laser thermometer is essential for the tempering process.

Add the chopped chocolate to the bowl...

... and combine carefully so the chocolate chunks melt slowly.

The temperature should go down by 10 or 12°C once you add the chopped chocolate.

Continue stirring until the chocolate has melted completely. If needed, squash the remaining chunks with the spatula to make them melt faster.

You should notice the temperature is gradually decreasing.

Continue mixing until the temperature reaches 28/29°C (ideal temperature for pink and white chocolate).

The temperature should continue to decrease. If you want to speed things up...

... dip the bowl in a larger bowl filled with cold tap water (do not use refrigerated water)...

... for 4 or 5 seconds.

Remove the bowl out of the water and combine again. You will notice the chocolate has cooled again. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate.

If, like me, you let the chocolate cool down below the desired temperature (26/27°C), reheat slightly with a hot air gun. Pass the gun over the surface of the chocolate in circular motions, for 4 or 5 seconds...

... then pass the gun over the bottom of the bowl very quickly.

Continue heating the chocolate until it reaches a temperature of 28/29°C.

Transfer the pink chocolate (between 28 and 29°C) in a piping bag. If you're working with a large quantity of chocolate, you'll need to store the tempered chocolate in a dipping chocolate machine to keep it warm. Combine regularly with a rubber spatula to maintain a homogeneous consistency.

Pipe chocolate discs over a polyethylene sheet, to a diameter of about 3 cm. The chocolate won't take long to crystallize (especially if your room is a little cool), so I recommend piping the mendiants in batches of 5 to make sure the chocolate hasn't started to crystallize when you add the dried fruit topping.

Arrange mixed dried fruits over the pink chocolate discs, burying them a little.

Repeat the operation, working with 5 mendiants at a time...

... until there is no more chocolate.

Let the chocolate crystallise at room temperature.

Carefully slide the plastic sheet onto a baking tray in order to easily store the mendiants in the room of your choice, preferably a cool room (do not refrigerate).

This should take about 12 hours. Once crystallized, the mendiants should be really easy to detach from the plastic sheet. The mendiants should have a nice pink colour with a satin finish. Ruby chocolate is sensitive to light, so make sure you keep the mendiants in an opaque box. Store in a cool room (no fridge). Enjoy these delicious chocolates!