Recipe: Bettina Campolucci-Bordi’s Christmas Chocolate Bites

On the hunt for a homemade gift to give a loved one this Christmas? Or simply fancy whizzing up some festive treats for the family? Here Bettina Campolucci Bordi shares a recipe for some Christmas chocolate bites.

December, with its frost laden mornings and the promise of festivities ahead, is my kind of magic. It’s a month where our kitchens become filled with family and friends brimming with baked goods and rich, hearty dishes. As a chef deeply rooted in the philosophy of using seasonal produce, December is an opportunity to celebrate the bounty that this time of year brings, all while embracing the warmth and joy of the holiday season. 

December is also a time for indulgence. Rich foods like nuts, cheeses and dried fruits come to the fore, perfect for creating festive treats. Nuts find their way into roast stuffings or are enjoyed on their own, toasted with spices. Dried fruits are soaked and stirred into cake and pudding mixtures, their flavours deepening over time. Christmas, the centerpiece of December, is a time for traditions, both old and new. It’s a chance to gather with loved ones, to share meals that have been passed down through generations, and to create new memories. Whether it’s baking mince pies using a family recipe or experimenting with a new way to cook the Christmas turkey, food becomes a way of connecting with family and friends. 

As we move through, food becomes more than just sustenance. It’s a source of comfort, of celebration, and of joy. Coming from a multicultural family we celebrate Scandinavian Christmas on 24 December and the English version on 25 December. 

In honour of the Christmas pudding, which I am not a very big fan of (sorry) I created these little mini Christmas chocolate bites that can be given as edible gifts or enjoyed over the holidays and much easier to make. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family do. You can also substitute lots of the ingredients depending on what you have in your kitchen cupboards. Any nuts will work and you can use dark instead of white chocolate. I love that you can simply add all the ingredients into a blender (except the chocolate of course). Remember if you have an ice cream scoop handy, this can also save you quite a bit of time, and will ensure evenly sized round bites.

Recipe: Christmas Chocolate Bites

Makes approx. 12 – 15 bites

Ingredients:

• 100g white chocolate, melted
• 150g blanched almonds
• 100g walnuts
• 70g coconut oil
• 100g toasted coconut  
• 40g raisins
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of salt

For the topping:

• Handful of white mulberries
• Handful of edible flowers

Method:

1. Melt the white chocolate in a bain marie.
2. Meanwhile, add all the other ingredients to a blender and blend on speed no 2, using the tamper for approx 2 minutes until combined but still keeping some texture.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop, or your hands, shape the mixture into small bite sized balls and dip each one into the white chocolate to cover half of the ball.
4. While the chocolate is still melted, top each one with a few white mulberries and edible flowers and transfer to the fridge for the chocolate to solidify.
5. Package into small gift boxes with a gift card, for your perfect homemade Christmas gift!