Kendal Mint Cake Bars

We’ve turned the Cumbrian confection into dark chocolate-dipped gifts, but milk or white work well, too.

Hands-on-time 30min, plus 1 cooling and setting. Cooking time about 25min. Makes 12 Butter, to grease 600g granulated sugar 3tbsp liquid glucose ¾tsp peppermint extract 200g dark chocolate, chopped

1 candy cane, crushed, to decorate, optional

YOU WILL ALSO NEED

A sugar thermometer

Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Mix the sugar, glucose and 250ml water in a large pan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Turn up heat to medium and bubble, swirling the pan occasionally rather than stirring.

As soon as the mixture reaches 120°C on a sugar thermometer, remove pan from heat. Add peppermint extract and a pinch of salt and stir well with a wooden spoon for about 3min; this will give the mint cake its signature cloudy appearance. The mixture should be gloopy and opaque. Carefully scrape into the lined tin and leave to set at room temperature, about 30min.

Once set, line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Turn mint cake out on to a board and slice into 12 rectangles. Dip ½ of each rectangle lengthways into the melted chocolate and place on the lined tray. Sprinkle the crushed candy cane, if using, over the chocolate and leave to set before serving.

PER BAR 278cals, 1g protein, 4g fat (2g saturates),

61g carbs (59g total sugars), 0g fibre TO STORE Once set, keep in an airtight container in the fridge, layers separated with baking parchment, for up to 2 weeks.