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Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins

Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins are a tasty, light Christmas treat, ideal for ending a holiday lunch in a different, original way.
Recipe Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 15 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins are tasty little treats with a truly Christmassy flavor, ideal for ending a holiday lunch because they are pleasantly light, thanks to the fresh, tangy taste of these citrus fruits.

For this recipe we used clementines, which have no seeds, so every segment can be enjoyed safely and without unpleasant surprises, but you can use the same method to coat orange segments or candied peel. As for the chocolate, it’s best to use extra dark, so that it blends with the sweet, citrusy flavor of the mandarins. A crunchy touch and a pop of color come from the chopped pistachios, a lovely bright green that suits the Christmas mood perfectly.

Practical and very quick to make, these Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins can be customized as you like with different toppings or flavored with Vanilla Extract or spices to suit your taste or your guests’, perhaps arranging a mixed tray that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

If you are looking for more quick and easy Christmas desserts, don’t miss the recipe for Almond Brittle or Hazelnut Brittle and the recipe for the Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Jam and Cinnamon. And if you plan to make something more show-stopping, browse our collection of Must-Try Christmas Dessert Recipes: you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Now get your ingredients ready and let’s head to the kitchen: let’s make Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins in just a few minutes.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins, first carefully peel the mandarins, separating them into segments and removing all the white strings.
    Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins, step 1: mandarins peeled and separated into segments
  2. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a double boiler, adding a tablespoon of milk to make it more fluid.
    Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins, step 2: dark chocolate melting in a double boiler
  3. Dip each mandarin segment halfway into the chocolate, then roll it in the chopped pistachios.
    Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins, step 3: segments dipped in chocolate and chopped pistachios
  4. Let the segments rest on a tray at room temperature or in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened.
  5. Your Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins are ready to serve. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!
    Mandarin segments dipped in dark chocolate and pistachios

Variations and Alternatives

We decided to decorate our Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins with chopped pistachios, but if you prefer you can replace them with chopped hazelnuts or almonds, with desiccated coconut, or leave them plain, simply coated in chocolate, perhaps adding a few salt flakes to bring out the flavor of the dark chocolate. And if you love spices, try adding a pinch of cinnamon or star anise to the melted chocolate: it will win you over.

Tips

Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins are a very simple recipe, and for that very reason their success depends on the quality of the ingredients: choose ripe mandarins with firm, juicy segments, and the dark chocolate should be good quality too, so go for one with at least 75-80% cocoa.

Storage

Chocolate-Dipped Mandarins keep in the fridge, in a container, for 2-3 days. The chopped pistachios suffer a little from moisture, so to keep them crunchier, make sure the container has an airtight lid.

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