Melanie Jenkins
Ingredients
Method
1.Prepare a pattern by drawing six five-pointed stars, reducing in size each time by 2cm, so you have a 16cm, 14cm, 12cm, 10cm, 8cm and 6cm star. Cut out the stars and place on a cooking sheet. Cover with baking paper – you should be able to see the outlines through the baking paper.
2.Place a bowl over a saucepan of water. Add the chocolate and when the water is simmering, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Reserve a ¼ each of the pistachios, cherries and cranberries for decorating. Fold the remaining pistachios, cherries and cranberries, along with the almonds and chopped white marshmallows, into the melted chocolate.
3.Using a spoon and knife, fill each star outline with chocolate mixture, mould the mixture into chunky star shapes, then scatter with some of the reserved ingredients. Save enough chocolate mixture to stick the stars together.
4.Chill in the fridge until firm, then stack the 3 largest stars, using the chocolate mixture to stick them together. Stack the 3 remaining stars in the same manner and chill till set. When both sections are firmly set, join them together to form a tree. Refrigerate till needed, then dust lightly with icing sugar.
Note
- If you want this centrepiece to be vegetarian friendly then remember to check the ingredients list of the marshmallows and ensure that they don’t contain any gelatine. – If planning to give as a gift, place on a small cake board and wrap in cellophane to keep fresh. – PER SERVE Energy 380kcal, 1591kj • Protein 7.2g TotalFat 24.4g • Saturated Fat 9.2g • Carbohydrate 33.6g • Fibre 2.4g • Sodium 37mg
