Sweet Hearts & Choc Dip

Actual longform title: Marshmallow crispy hearts with a salted caramel & chocolate fondue.

Please don’t make this for your Valentine, because that would just show me up. We’re not doing all that this year. What you could do is add all the fresh fruit, like strawberries and apple slices, ‘cos it cancels out the chocolate. Fact*

Marshmallow Hearts

These are as simple as melting marshmallows and smushing in a load of rice crispies. It makes me wonder why we used to buy those packets of rice crispy bars for the boy for years, to be honest.

You also don’t have to make them into hearts. I just did that when people paid me for seasonal shenanigans. Just cut them into squares. Let’s not conform to the social pressures of enforced romantic gestures.

Actual ingredients and instructions, though:

• 170g Pink Marshmallows (use the white ones for dipping)
• 25g Butter
• 100g Rice Krispies
• Optional – dash of red food colouring

1. Add the butter and marshmallows to a non-stick pan and melt slowly, stirring regularly until smooth.
2. Add a dash of food colouring if you want them extra pink.
3. Remove from the heat and quickly add in the rice Krispies, stirring well.
4. Tip immediately into a loose-bottomed, or lined baking pan around 8”/20cm square.
5. Press down with a spoon or your fingers. You kind of have to sneak up on it and press quickly and lightly so it doesn’t stick to you or the spoon.
6. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours
7. Remove from the tin and cut hearts from the krispie cakes with a heart shaped cookie cutter, or just cut into squares.
8. Spike with a skewer for dipping.

The salted caramel chocolate fondue is totally unnecessary (isn’t all baking?) but if you fancy a go here’s how it starts:

I mean, I think we can see that this isn’t diet territory.

Ingredients for the ‘Fondue’ Dip

• 200g Chocolate Chips or Chunks – a mix of plain and milk
• 150ml of Canned (Carnation) Caramel (find it with the condensed milk in the shops)
• 150ml Double Cream
• A sprinkle of sea salt
• Extra caramel for swirling

Dip Prep

1. To make the dip, gently heat the chocolate, cream and caramel until just melted.
2. Add a sprinkle of salt and stir well until smooth.
3. Serve immediately, or rewarm in the microwave on medium in 10-20 second bursts.
4. Swirl in a bit of extra caramel and a sprinkle of salt crystals before serving.

Find some fruit, cake chunks, pretzels, marshmallows, marshmallow hearts maybe.

Dip ‘em.

Bonus points

• If you have any left over dip, chill it in the fridge then whisk with a food mixer to make a whipped ganache to pipe or spread onto cakes.
• Don’t like caramel? Weirdo. Miss it out and just make this as a chocolate dip.
• The spare bits of crispy cake from around the wonky edges are really good for the snacking.

Anyway. Love you, bye!

*lie 

Recipe originally created and photographed for Center Parcs