MERINGUE KISSES

1. Heat the oven to 100°C, fan forced.
2. Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and caster sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand over a saucepan of simmering water until it reaches 60°C.
3. Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip until the meringue reaches medium peaks.
4. Remove from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the sieved icing sugar.
5. Use a small amount of the meringue to adhere baking paper to your baking trays.
6. Transfer approximately one third of the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 14mm star piping nozzle.
7. Pipe kisses, approximately 25mm in diameter and 30mm in height, onto a lined baking tray.
8. Transfer the remaining meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 14mm plain piping nozzle and pipe kisses of approximately the same size onto a lined baking tray.
9. Sprinkle some of the meringue kisses with edible silver leaf flakes.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, or until the meringue kisses are crunchy all the way through.
11. Allow to cool at room temperature, then store in an airtight container.

Note: If the meringue kisses go soft prior to assembly, simply place them back in an oven preheated to 100°C until crunchy. Then allow them to cool completely at room temperature before assembling the Christmas tree.

COCONUT TRUFFLES

1. Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe plastic bowl and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until half melted.
2. Place the coconut milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
3. Pour the hot coconut milk over the semi-melted chocolate and whisk by hand until completely melted and incorporated.
4. Add the desiccated coconut and whisk to combine.
5. Cover the surface of the white chocolate coconut ganache with plastic wrap and allow to firm at room temperature overnight.
6. Once the ganache is firm, scoop out teaspoon-sized portions, roll them into balls, and place them on a lined tray.
7. Place them in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes, then allow them to come back to room temperature prior to dipping.

Note: This recipe will make 50-60 truffles.

CHOCOLATE SWIRL COATING

1. Elevate a piece of polystyrene over a sheet of baking paper by sitting it on top of some containers.
2. Temper the white chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. If you have some resistant buttons, you can gently heat the chocolate with a hair dryer while stirring.
3. Sieve the white colour powder into the tempered chocolate and mix until evenly coloured.
4. Dip toothpicks into the tempered white chocolate and insert them into the prepared ganache balls.
5. Transfer approximately three quarters of the chocolate into a bowl.
6. Holding the toothpicks, dip about one third of the truffles into the tempered white chocolate, then place the toothpick into the elevated polystyrene so the truffle is hanging upside down and allow to set.
7. Sieve the green colour powder into the reserved quarter of tempered white chocolate and mix until evenly coloured.
8. Transfer the coloured chocolate into a piping bag, cut a small tip off the end, and pipe a grid pattern on top of the bowl of white chocolate.
9. Dip the remaining truffles into the chocolate, twisting them as you pull them out. Gently shake the truffles over a sheet of baking paper, then hang them upside down to set. Each new truffle must be dipped into an area that still has the grid pattern.
10. Allow the truffles to set at room temperature for a minimum of 10 minutes before removing the toothpicks.

Notes:

• Once you run out of space, you can pipe additional coloured chocolate on top to create another grid pattern.
• To reheat the chocolate, scrape the coloured section off the surface, then gently heat with a hair dryer or heat gun while stirring. Then pipe the coloured chocolate grid on top.

CHOCOLATE BELLS

1. Combine the alcohol and silver metallic powder and mix to combine, then pour the mixture into the cup of a spray gun connected to a compressor.
2. Holding the spray gun approximately 300mm away from the CW1495 20mm Mini Half Sphere chocolate mould, spray the silver mixture into the cavities to coat.
3. Clean the surface of the mould with paper towel and allow the alcohol to evaporate, leaving a silver coating in the cavities.
4. Temper the milk chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. If you have some resistant buttons, you can gently heat the chocolate with a hair dryer while stirring.
5. Transfer the tempered chocolate into a piping bag and fill each cavity of the mould. Tap the mould on the surface of your workbench to dislodge any air bubbles, then turn the mould upside down over a sheet of baking paper and tap the side with the handle of a metal scraper.
6. Scrape the surface clean while holding the mould upside down. Then, place the mould upside down onto a clean sheet of baking paper and allow to stand for 10 minutes before scraping the surface of the mould one final time.
7. Place into the refrigerator for 8-10 minutes, then allow to come back to room temperature before unmoulding.
8. Warm a baking tray in an oven preheated to 50°C.
9. Use the warm tray to slightly melt the edges of the chocolate half spheres, then join them together.
10. Use a warmed knife blade to create a cross on top of the chocolate spheres, removing the melted chocolate from the blade as you go.

ASSEMBLY

1. Temper the white chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. If you have some resistant buttons, you can gently heat the chocolate with a hair dryer while stirring.
2. Brush the tempered chocolate over the surface of a polystyrene cone, 450mm in height, then allow to set at room temperature.
3. Position the cone onto a serving plate, securing it with some tempered chocolate or liquid glucose.
4. Decorate the cone with the prepared meringue kisses, coconut truffles, and chocolate bells. Do this by inserting a double-sided toothpick into the cone and use it to secure each decoration. Continue adding decorations, one at a time, alternating the types and leaving minimal gaps in between.

Notes:

• To attach the chocolate bells to the cone, create a hole in the back of the chocolate bell using a warm skewer.
• The tree can be assembled a day in advance and loosely wrapped in plastic wrap.

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