These traditional Christmas treats are called Mendiants, hailing from the country of France in the Middle Ages. Mendiants are basically discs of chocolate topped with dried fruits and nuts. They’re incredibly tasty and insanely easy to make!

A quick history: The name, mendiant, comes from the Latin word, mendicans, meaning beggar, referring to the Roman Catholic church and their monks’ vow of poverty. Traditionally, each of the fruits and nuts – white almonds, brown hazelnuts, purple figs, and gray raisins – represents each color of the four monastic orders.

Nowadays, Mendiants are mostly found in fine chocolateries and candy shops in Paris and throughout France during the Christmas season, made with high quality chocolate and sold for exorbitant prices. The variety of toppings has increased, as well. It’s not atypical to see wide selection of toppings such as coffee beans, dried berries, candied citrus peel, cocoa nibs, pumpkin seeds, coconut…the options are only limited by creativity!

This particular recipe uses dried apricots, figs, pistachios, and dried cranberries nestled in dark chocolate, sprinkled with crushed hazelnuts for a little extra crunch. And they are ADDICTIVE! The rich chocolate, the tart fruit, and the crunchy nuts are a fantastic combination!

Best of all, Mendiants are crazy easy to make! Just spoon some melted chocolate, sprinkle your toppings, and let them cool. These would be a great Christmas project with your little ones, and an even better addition to any holiday treats box!

French Christmas Mendiants

6 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 C chopped dried apricots
1/2 C chopped dried figs
1/4 C chopped pistachios, roasted
1/4 C chopped hazelnuts, roasted
1/4 C dried cranberries

Use a double-boiler to melt the chopped dark chocolate until smooth.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drop tablespoon-sized dollops of chocolate on the paper, approximately 2 inches apart. If necessary, bang the trays on the counter once to spread it evenly into circles.

Working quickly, place pieces of the apricots, figs, pistachios, and cranberries on each circle of melted chocolate. Finally, sprinkle the tops with the chopped hazelnuts.

Put the tray in the refrigerator, and allow the Mendiants to cool for 30 minutes. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 5 days.