Making mendiants
Piped discs with four toppings. The restraint is the technique — a fifth topping turns it into bark on a small disc.
A mendiant is a disc of tempered chocolate with toppings placed while it is still fluid. Traditionally four — almond, hazelnut, fig and raisin — representing the mendicant religious orders by their robe colours.
The technique is straightforward and the discipline is not. Toppings must go on immediately, because a surface that has begun to set will not bond to them. And four is the composition: a mendiant with eight toppings is bark that has been portioned.
Dried toppings only. Anything containing water marks the chocolate and shortens its life.
- What it is for
- To produce composed chocolate discs with placed rather than scattered toppings.
- Working temperature
- 18–22°C
- Works with
- Mendiant, Couverture, Dark chocolate
- Does not work with
- Fresh fruit cannot be used. Its water marks the chocolate and reduces the keeping time to days.
Method
1. Pipe or spoon discs of tempered chocolate about 4cm across onto baking paper.
2. Place toppings immediately, while the surface is still fluid.
Where people go wrong: Piping all the discs before topping any. The first ones will have skinned over.
3. Set at cool room temperature and lift once fully contracted.
When it goes wrong
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Toppings fall off | Placed after the surface set. | Work in small batches — pipe six, top six. |
What this will not work with
Fresh fruit cannot be used. Its water marks the chocolate and reduces the keeping time to days.
Related
Works with
- MendiantPiped discs with four toppings. The restraint is the technique — a fifth topping turns it into bark on a small disc.
- CouverturePiped discs with four toppings. The restraint is the technique — a fifth topping turns it into bark on a small disc.
- Dark chocolatePiped discs with four toppings. The restraint is the technique — a fifth topping turns it into bark on a small disc.
Covered in
- Choosing white chocolateA composed piece where restraint is the technique.
Sources
- ChocolateHQ editorial synthesis — ChocolateHQ(citation identity confirmed; passage not re-read)