The Ultimate Peppermint Crisp Showstopper

Prepare the chocolate: Make sure the chocolate is broken into small pieces to ensure it melts easily. Place in a medium size bowl, as you will be adding the cream to this, and then set aside.

Prepare the cream: Place the cream in a medium size saucepan and heat on medium heat until the cream comes to a simmer. This means you will see little bubbles on the side of the saucepan and the cream will begin to steam. Do not let it boil aggressively.

Make the ganache: Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate and let it stand for a minute, to melt the chocolate. Then, using a spatula, stir the ganache together to create a smooth glossy mixture. Ensure it is well mixed and all chocolate has melted, and there are no clumps left behind. If you are unsure, I suggest passing the ganache through a sieve just to be safe.

An important final note on the ganache: We want the ganache we put in the middle of the dessert to be a firmer set than the one we use to pour over the completed dessert. To this end, let your ganache set completely before using it in the middle of the dessert. You may then need to heat the remaining ganache for about 5 seconds to thin it out. You should be able to drop a little onto a plate and have it drip down slowly, whilst not running off the plate. This will ensure a slow drip down your dessert and not just run off and look messy.

Prepare your Peppermint Crisp chocolates: Begin by chopping all of the Peppermint Crisp chocolates. I recommend chopping about 3 fairly chunky, to give some texture to the tart. The cold chocolate gives a nice crunch. Chop the remainder a bit more finely to add flavour.

Whip the whipping cream: Mascarpone has the tendency to overwhip and become grainy, so to avoid wasting ingredients, I suggest whipping the cream to stiff peaks and setting aside.

Whip the mascarpone and Caramel Treat together: Place the mascarpone and Caramel Treat in a large bowl (you will be adding the cream to this bowl, so ensure to use a larger one than you feel necessary) and whip for about 45 seconds to a minute until well combined.

Make the filling: Then add in the whipping cream and fold into the mixture to combine. Follow this by folding in the Peppermint Crisp.

Line the tin: Line a 30cm x 11.5cm x 8cm baking tin with clingwrap/clingfilm. Make sure it is well lined so as to make for easy release.

Create a biscuit shell: Use the Tennis Biscuits to create a shell around the tin. You will need to trim some biscuits to fit the corners. I do like a good puzzle 😉

Add in half the filling: Add in half of the peppermint crisp mixture followed by half of the depitted cherries.

Add a biscuit layer: Add a layer of Tennis Biscuits then a layer of chocolate ganache with the 3 tablespoons you set aside, followed by another layer of Tennis Biscuits.

Add in the remaining filling: Add in the rest of the peppermint crisp mixture and the remaining cherries and cover with a final layer of Tennis Biscuits to seal.

Let rest: Cover the Tennis Biscuit base with some cling wrap and set in the fridge overnight.

Decorate: Remove the clingwrap from the base. Flip the dessert onto your serving platter and remove the tin. Remove the remaining cling wrap. Pour over the chocolate ganache, which needs to be at the correct temperature for the perfect drip (see the final note above on making the ganache). Use an offset spatula to edge the ganache just off the sides and let it drip down. To finish off the decorating, sprinkle a row of Peppermint Crisp down the middle, then add alternate piping of the ganache and whipped cream, by using a star nozzle. Finally, place the cherries down the middle to complete the final look.