Countdown to Christmas Cookery 4: Sweets- Chocolate Hemp Chikki, Chocolate Dates and Vegan Marshmallows

Crunchy hemp and smooth dark chocolate... mmm...

There are many different sweets traditionally made and given as gifts at Christmas: Turkish delight, peppermint creams, sugared almonds, marzipan fruits and fruit jellies, to name but a few. These are all vegetarian (you can just omit the eggwhite from peppermint creams; I'm not sure why it's even in there in the first place) or vegan- of course, you do need to check labels just in case- so here are three ideas for some less traditional yet equally delicious vegan goodies with which to feast your friends. 

New this year are the chocolate hemp chikki (the hemp was my husband's idea and the chocolate was mine!) which are rich in minerals and omega oils from the gour and the hemp. Then I've posted links to my recipe for date and marzipan chocolates and one for vegan marshmallows (possibly my greatest accidental invention ever!)

Chocolate Hemp Chikki (makes a bagful of little bites)

300g shelled hemp seeds

200g gour

about 50g dark chocolate

• Melt the gour in a sturdy pan over a medium heat, and stir in the hemp seeds.
• Follow the instructions for making chikki  here .
• Spread onto greaseproof paper and when setting, break into little chunks or cut into neater squares/ diamonds (I went for he "crazy paving" effect).
• Half-dip in melted dark chocolate and return to the greaseproof paper to set.
• You can also make these with sesame seeds.

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Date and Marzipan Chocolates

Find the recipe here

These are equally good as a cake decoration or on their own

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Vegan Marshmallows

Find the recipe here

Try adding a little food colouring to make them even more attractive!