Chocolate Hedgehogs!
Today we decided to do some hedgehog themed cooking. I have a go to recipe which the kids love and also gives us a great opportunity to talk about changes of state – melting and solidifying etc.
It is a very chocolatey recipe! And always popular! I have created a pdf version of this recipe for you to enjoy – PDF Recipe.
There are two ingredients and then anything that you want to use for decorations (This made about 25 hedgehogs – you can alter ingredients accordingly its basically equal parts):
400g Milk Chocolate
400g Dolce de Leche (this is prepared Condenced milk – but Nestle have now started selling it as ‘Caramel’)*
Icing sugar for dusting surface – but not essential
Decorations – we use Matchmakers (Orange), smarties and chocolate buttons.
- Melt the chocolate in a bain marie. (We discussed going from solid to liquid at this point)
- Mix in the condensed milk
.
- Leave to cool for about 30 mins (use as a opportunity to discuss science of cooling and going form liquid to solid)
- Once cooled use scoop to make little balls. I have these scoops which I use a lot and are easy for children too – strengthening the hand! We used the 4cm one for our hedgehogs. Buy them on Amazon click here. Dust surface with a little icing sugar.
- Roll into a ball and then shape to be hedgehog by pinching a nose.
- Decorate with Chocolate and sweets to create spines and eyes or what ever you want!!
- Place in the fridge to cool before eating… if you can wait!
* To make Dolce de Leche from a can of skimmed milk in a Slow cooked is the easiest way I have found.
Place a sealed tin of condenced milk on its side in a slow cooker. Cover with water. Set the slow cooker to low and leave for 8 – 10 hours. The longer you leave it the more caramelly it will get! Once finished just leave to cool and your are ready to go! Beware it is delicious and keeps well in the fridge!
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