Spiced Prune Chocolate Pots with Amaretto – Christmas is Coming
Prunes and chocolate is a winning, but often overlooked combination. These spiced prune chocolate pots with amaretto are a particularly indulgent way to eat them. They make for a sumptuous dessert and are ideal dinner party fare. With flavours of orange, clove, nutmeg and allspice as well as amaretto, they would also make a good alternative dessert to Christmas pudding during the festive season.
Prunes as Superfood
I don’t know if anyone watched the Superfood series on Channel 4 that was on recently, but I really enjoyed the few episodes I saw and I learnt quite a lot. Who knew that Astronauts were fed prunes every day to keep their bones strong? I certainly didn’t. I add prunes to my porridge when I make it, but they’re not something I eat on a regular basis. Now I’m in the know, I’ve been trying to figure out how to incorporate more of them into my diet.
Spiced Prune Chocolate Pots with Amaretto
These spiced prune chocolate pots with amaretto seemed like a good start. My recipe is adapted from Ann Carr’s Recipe Collection – purée of prunes with chocolate. I changed the quantities completely, deciding that the ratio of chocolate to prunes needed to be much higher. I also altered the spices, omitted the sugar and added amaretto – why wouldn’t you? The result is a rich, unctuous and distinctive dessert. A little goes a long way, though that didn’t stop CT asking for seconds. I made five good servings out of the quantities I used, but you could make four slightly larger ones if you’re feeling indulgent.
The recipe is a very simple one and as it can be made in advance, it’s perfect for serving up at a dinner party or any other occasion when you need to be particularly organised. I used my Optimum Nutri Force Extractor to blitz the prunes into a puree, but you could use a mini food processor or stick blender instead.
If you like the idea of prunes and chocolate together, I can also recommend this spicy chocolate & prune gingerbread.
Spiced Prune Chocolate Pots with Amaretto – The Recipe
- 100 g dried prunes
- thinly-pared peel of 1 orange
- 1 cloves
- 1 allspice berry
- grating of nutmeg
- 25 g butter
- 125 g dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp amaretto
- Place the prunes in a small pan and cover with water. Add the orange peel, clove, allspice berry & nutmeg. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the orange peel and clove and puree the rest using a stick blender or mini food processor. I used my Optimum Nutri Force Extractor.
- While the prunes are still warm, add the butter and chocolate. Leave for a few minutes to melt, then stir until smooth.
- Finally stir in the amaretto and spoon into little ramekins or chocolate pots.
Can be made the day before serving.
For a special occasion, decorate with gold leaf, alternatively grate some chocolate over the top or add a dusting of glitter.
Linkies
These spiced prune chocolate pots with amaretto are my entry to November’s #WeShouldCocoa. If you’ve blogged any recipes using chocolate this month, do join in.
I’m also linking up with #CookBlogShare hosted this week by Recipes Made Easy.
They also go to The Baking Explorer for Treat Petite.
And to Searching for Spice for #CookOnceEatTwice. They lasted us three days, with the fifth one fairly shared between the two of us – sort of!
Other recipes for christmas desserts you might like
- Baileys choconana pie via Tin and Thyme
- Brandy snaps basket with mulled fruit compote via Foodie Quine
- Chestnut cream meringue cake via Tin and Thyme
- Christmas bliss balls via Tin and Thyme
- Cranberry & white chocolate trifle via Tin and Thyme
- Double chocolate cheesecake via The Baking Explorer
- Frozen chocolate caramel cream meringue cake via Julie’s Family Kitchen
- Malteser & nutella cheesecake via Mummy Mishaps
- Raspberry glitter trifle via Only Crumbs Remain
- Risalmande (Danish rice pudding) with cherry sauce via Fab Food 4 All
- Slow cooker chocolate caramel puddings via Farmersgirl Kitchen
- Slow cooker cranberry & vanilla steamed pudding via Baking Queen
- Speculoos & mascarpone pancake cake via Kavey Eats
- Vegan Christmas Pudding via The Veg Space
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these spiced prune chocolate pots, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share a photo on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot it. For more delicious and nutritious recipes, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.
Spiced Prune Chocolate Pots. PIN IT.
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Angie@Angie's Recipes
19th November 2017 at 7:17 pmSounds like a perfect holiday dessert, Choclette.
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 5:03 pmThanks Angie, I think these prune chocolate pots might become a regular festive feature.
Jennifer Bliss
20th November 2017 at 2:23 amSo cute in those teacups! And sounds delish!! YUM!
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 5:00 pmThanks Jennifer. A pretty cup certainly helps with the presentation, but these puds are scrumptious.
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
20th November 2017 at 9:07 amI didn’t watch the Superfood series, but I’m fascinated to learn that they feed astronauts prunes! It’s not something which we often eat but I’m popping them on my shopping list now! Love that you finished your chocolate pots with a little gold leaf – it really does make it look so special!
Thanks for linking to my raspberry & glitter trifle too Chocolette 🙂
Angela x
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 5:02 pmGlitter rules at Christmas, so we’ve both got that one sussed with our festive desserts 😉 I love learning about different foods and their properties. It makes me realise that food can never be a boring subject.
johanna @ green gourmet giraffe
21st November 2017 at 10:08 amI love prunes so am pleased to hear they are a superfood – they are so good whenever I have a recipe calling for dried fruit (christmas cake anyone!) but I can recommend a prune and bean casserole I blogged many years ago! I love your recipe as I have loved pairing chocolate and prunes before (I think there is a david lebowicz recipes for a chocolate prune cake I always meant to make)
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 5:07 pmOoh yes, your prune and bean casserole sounds divine. I’ve used them recently in bean burgers and they worked well there too. I will eventually get around to blogging the recipe. I’ve also made a chocolate prune cake – yum!
Camilla Hawkins
22nd November 2017 at 10:22 amI love that these pots are both healthy and decadent at the same time! Those cups are gorgeous too! Thanks for linking to my dessert-)
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 4:58 pmThanks Camilla. I’m delighted by the dessert and the cups are just perfect for chocolate desserts like this.
Lucy
22nd November 2017 at 11:18 amI love how you make recipes your own by changing many of the ingredients! Adding amaretto is perfect for this time of year. These are a perfect pud for entertaining over the winter and Christmas period I think! The combination of prunes and chocolate sounds delicious and I love the presentation with the gold hearts. Thanks for linking to my recipe too.
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 4:57 pmThanks Lucy, it’s mostly because I’m incapable of following a recipe. I reckon a little gold and glitter is acceptable when it comes to a festive dessert 😉
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
22nd November 2017 at 12:05 pmThey are absolutely gorgeous! I knew prune was good for you, but I have to confess I never eat them, I think this recipe could convince me to start!
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 4:55 pmTry prunes with chocolate Kat, they are delicious. Prune and chocolate cake is a good place to start.
What Kate Baked
22nd November 2017 at 2:14 pmGoodness- I didn’t know that about astronauts and prunes! What an interesting fact! Healthy chocolate desserts are always a winner, especially this time of year when the cold, dark nights require a little treat or two!
Choclette
22nd November 2017 at 4:54 pmYes, it was very interesting and prunes are good for all sorts of other things too of course 🙂
Janice
22nd November 2017 at 8:43 pmThis is just fabulous, I love those flavours and also how you have served the dessert in those pretty little coffee cups with the apostle spoons 🙂
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:40 pmThanks Janice. Are apostle spoons a thing in Scotland? You and Claire are the only ones that have ever commented on them.
Hannah Hossack-Lodge
23rd November 2017 at 10:08 amThese sound delicious and I love the presentation! I do like prunes but have to admit that I very rarely eat them; if they help keep your bones strong then I really should have them more often.
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:41 pmYes, I’m trying to eat more of them now. I usually add them to my porridge or stick them in smoothies, but this is the nicest way to have them 🙂
jenny paulin
23rd November 2017 at 10:39 amI love the presentation of your little yummy posts of chocolate heaven! These cups and saucers are so pretty. I rarely eat prunes – they bring back memories of eating them with custard as a child! However, in this dessert I know I would enjoy them
thank you for including a link to my recipe x
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:35 pmHahaha, I know what you mean Jenny. I wasn’t at all keen on prunes as a child. I love them now though. These cups and saucers are usually wheeled out when I have a chocolate dessert 😉
munchies and munchkins
24th November 2017 at 10:54 amI absolutely love Amaretto so these sound right up my street. These would make such a lovely dinner party dessert!
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:34 pmYes, I find Amaretto very hard to resist. It reminds me of being a student and making friends with an Italian waiter who used to ply us with the stuff. Oh heady days!
Alida @My Little Italian Kitchen
24th November 2017 at 2:13 pmWhat a lovely chocolate. I have never thought of flavouring it with prunes. Very inventive and delicious.
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:33 pmThank you Alida. Prunes and chocolate work marvellously together. There’s a very nice prune and chocolate cake that’s well worth making too 🙂
Cathy @ Planet Veggie
24th November 2017 at 2:42 pmI don’t think I’ve ever had prunes – are they like dates? I’ll eat anything that has glitter on it though (well, almost anything!)
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:31 pmIt rather depends on the type you get, but they’re not nearly as sweet as dates. I wasn’t very fond of them when growing up, but I love them now.
Jacqui Bellefontaine
25th November 2017 at 12:02 pmI think these sound delicious and a great flavour combination. They look so pretty in those coffee cups and would make a fabulous Christmas dessert. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:30 pmThanks Jacqui. Those coffee cups are perfect for this sort of dessert and their photogenic too.
Corina Blum
27th November 2017 at 12:16 pmThese sound delicious and would be a brilliant dinner party dessert. I am a big fan of Amaretto and so that in itself would make me want to try them! Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:27 pmThanks Corina. I only have to see the name Amaretto and I want it 😉
Galina V
27th November 2017 at 6:20 pmMost beautiful dessert! I love prunes and chocolate combination, and with an added amaretto it is a perfect seasonal treat!
Choclette
29th November 2017 at 3:50 pmThank you Galina. I got the idea from Ann Carr’s Recipe Collection before I passed it on 🙂
Nadia
1st December 2017 at 11:39 amThey look delicious! Great for an after dinner dessert 😀 I don’t think I’ve ever used prunes in recipes before, not sure why! You’ve inspired me to try prunes in desserts! Also that Superfood series sounds right up my street! I’ll have to see if I can watch it on catch up.
Choclette
3rd December 2017 at 9:57 amOh do watch it if you can Nadia. I only saw some of the episodes and keep meaning to catch up with the others. Prunes are also well worth trying, especially with chocolate.
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist
1st December 2017 at 6:25 pmA gorgeously decadent treat! Love your little cups too xx
Choclette
3rd December 2017 at 9:59 amAh yes, those little cups come out whenever I have this type of chocolate dessert. A much better use of them than for coffee 🙂