Chocolate Works (Part 1):Branching into Chocolates and Mendiants
When and how I got into chocolate mendiants, I have absolutely no recollection. As with a lot of other ideas and influences, most probably it is from Instagram. Never heard of it till recently, even when I have been following all the chocolate works of Pastry Chefs and Chocolatiers.
So I researched on them everywhere on the internet for this post. What are the difference between chocolate mendiants and bonbons? Mendiants are totally opposite of Bonbons. All ingredients for mendiants are on the outside of the chocolate, whereas Bonbons, the fillings are inside covered with chocolate on the outside and the chocolate shells are decorated.
Mendiants are amongst the most basic types of chocolates and the easiest to make. Here’s a link describing the history and tradition behind it. what it consist of, how to make them, and guidelines on storage and shelf life.
The first batch. Dark chocolate topped with apricot, apricot kernel and coffee granules.
These are the equipment and tools I use for tempering chocolates using the microwave method. A microwave, chocolate bowl (or any deep plastic bowl), digital thermometer and silicone spatula.
Two shapes are currently available, both using silicone moulds. One is the traditional flat disc, another is round.
Update 2024
Chocolate mendiants has been incorporated into our list of items for dessert table. It is now attached to a cookie disk, and named Cookie Mendiant.
The 3 basic types of couverture chocolates are white, milk and dark chocolate, with topped with various nuts, seeds and dried fruits such as cashew nut, walnut, peanut, pistachio, pumpkin seeds, blueberry, apricot and cranberry.
Contact us to customise your own mendiant as doorgifts for your wedding or events.
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