We understand that for most people, the thought of leftover chocolate after the holidays is foreign. (Personally, I feel the same way when people talk about leftover wine...) But the truth is that 151 million chocolate Santas were produced in Germany in 2020, for which there is no longer any demand at all shortly after Christmas. So, how can you use up the leftover chocolate Santas? In this article you will find some tips and recipes.
What happens to the chocolate Santas after Christmas?
That's not so easy to say. On the one hand, Santa Clauses are offered at a reduced price after Christmas to stimulate sales. On the other hand, they are donated to charities and, in the worst cases, even thrown away. In Germany there is still no official law against wasting and throwing away food.
However, there is an amendment to the Circular Economy Act that will come into force in 2020. It states that products can be disposed of if this is a last resort, that is, if it is no longer possible to sell or reuse them. However, it is not specified how it is determined that this is the case.
However, usually due to the big sales after the holidays, all Santas are often sold and only a few are donated.
note: When making this statement, it should be noted that it is not publicly known how many surplus Santa Clauses there are in supermarkets.
Ideas on how you can use chocolate Santa Claus
If you have a few lonely chocolate Santas on your shelf that you want to use up, we have a few ideas for what you can do with them.
Brownie recipe made from leftover chocolate
Use chocolate Santas - ingredients for 25 small brownies:
- 250 g Butter
- 200g dark chocolate
- 150g soft brown sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 50g plain flour, sifted
- 40 g Cocoa, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt – optional (if using unsalted butter)
- 1 teaspoon spice mix
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- approx. 100 g dried fruits (currants, raisins, sour cherries and sultanas)
- 1-2 tablespoons grated marzipan
- Approx. 70g milk chocolate, chopped to the consistency of pebbles (optional)
- Powdered sugar, cocoa or drinking chocolate – for dusting
How to prepare the recipe:
- Prepare a shallow baking or brownie tin (approx. 22 x 22 cm). Line them with lightly greased baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Melt the butter, brown sugar and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until a smooth chocolate sauce forms. Set aside to cool.
- Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the slightly cooled, melted chocolate sauce. (It needs to be cooled so it doesn't cook the eggs). Add the dried fruits.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and spices. Fold these dry ingredients into the chocolate and egg mixture. Make sure everything is mixed well. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Allow the brownies to cool for a reasonable amount of time before turning them out of the pan and cutting them into squares. Otherwise, the brownies will fall apart when cut and can only be used as pudding with thick double cream (that's not a bad thing). Before serving, dust the brownies with powdered sugar, cocoa or drinking chocolate.
Use chocolate Santas to make homemade chocolate liqueur
The holidays are just over and there are a lot of leftovers crying out to be used. So why not treat yourself, your family and friends to a chocolate liqueur - one way you can use up that leftover chocolate.
Use Christmas chocolate - ingredients for 1 liter of liqueur are:
- 580 ml whole milk
- 195 ml Doppelrahm
- 200 ml Vodka
- 75g bitter cocoa powder
- 85g chocolate
How to use chocolate Santas – this is how you mix the ingredients:
- Combine milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Gradually add the cocoa powder through a sieve and stir with a whisk to make the mixture nice and smooth.
- Stir the mixture slowly while it simmers, about 10 minutes.
- Crush the chocolate and add it to the pot to melt with the other ingredients.
- Once the chocolate has melted, allow the mixture to cool.
- Finally, add the vodka and stir well!
- Once cooled, pour into airtight glass bottles and enjoy within 90 days.
Tipp: You can get creative and add additional flavors to your chocolate liquor. Let the milk steep overnight with dried orange peels, mint leaves or cinnamon sticks and remove before you start cooking.
Process leftover chocolate into chocolate cookies
There's nothing better than a good homemade cookie. These are soft, delicious and really easy to make.
Ingredients for 20 chocolate chip cookies:
- 100 g unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 125g golden caster sugar
- A big egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g Flour
- 1 pinch of fine sea salt
- 100g chocolate
Using chocolate – preparing chocolate cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg, add the vanilla and mix well. Sift in the flour and salt and fold it in. Roughly chop the chocolate and stir in.
- Roll tablespoonfuls of dough out of the dough and place them in the lined molds. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Flatten the balls slightly with your fingers, then place them in the hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden brown (be careful not to overdo it - the more chewy, the better).
Let them cool completely and then serve with a glass of cold milk.
Use overripe bananasHere you canFind delicious recipes and great tips against food waste!
