I loathe mice with such a passion I scream on sight. Chefs in our kitchen created this sweetmeat for the ballet "Cinderella” and could hardly wait to taunt me with them.

Ingredients

2/3 recipe Dark Chocolate Truffle Mix

15 Medjool fresh dates, available in fresh fruit section of supermarkets

15 dried but plump prunes

60 nonpareils, tiny sugar pellets used to decorate cakes

60 sliced almond pieces

1 strap liquorice

150g dark (72%) chocolate tablet, chopped and melted

Method

To make father mice: Roll 1 teaspoon truffle mix into a cylindrical shape. Repeat so you have 15 cylindrical balls.

Open up one side of each date and remove stones.

Place a truffle ball inside each date and close dates. Place dates cut-side down onto a tray. Gently press thumb and forefinger into one end of each date, leaving indentations for eyes and nose. Using a small sharp knife make two slits just behind the indentations (these will be for the ears). Press 2 nonpareils into the eye indentations and slide 2 almond slices into the ear slits.

Cut licorice into 8cm strips and each strip into very thin lengths to create tails. Lay tails on a foil-lined tray with 5cm gaps between each tail.

Dip tail end of each mouse halfway into melted chocolate and sit directly on top of licorice tail.

To make mother mice: Roll 1/2 teaspoon truffle mix into a cylindrical shape. Repeat so you have 15 cylindrical balls. Repeat the same process for mother mice as father mice.

Refrigerate mice on trays until they are set. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for 2-3 days.

Dark Chocolate Truffle Mix

Makes 180g {you need 2/3 recipe for mice recipe}

Ingredients

160g dark (72%) chocolate tablet, chopped

160ml cream

1 teaspoon dark rum

Method

Place chocolate in a large bowl. Pour cream into a saucepan set over a medium heat and bring to just below the boil. Pour cream onto chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted. Add rum and mix together.

Leave mixture at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or particularly in warm weather cool and place in refrigerator for 45 minutes, until it is malleable.

Apricot Pistachio Crisps

Makes 2 x 300g loaves

This Peter Gordon recipe we served a few years ago at an Air NZ Wine Awards dinner with the cheese course.

Ingredients

150g white baker's flour

100g wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon instant yeast granules

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon brown sugar

200ml water

50g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

75g dried apricots, diced

25g dried cranberries, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons dark rum

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange

Method

Preheat oven to 250°C. Lightly grease with baking spray two low-sided baking trays.

Into a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook place white flour, wholemeal flour, yeast, salt and brown sugar and mix to combine.

Add water and mix until dough comes together and forms a ball.

Continue to mix on low for 10 minutes or until dough becomes soft.

Add pistachios, apricots, cranberries, rum, cardamom and orange zest and continue to mix until evenly combined.

Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1-1 ½ hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Cut dough into 2 portions and shape into flat loaves 35cm in length and 2.2cm high.

Lightly dust with additional wholemeal flour. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 30 – 40 minutes to increase in volume by 25%.

Place into preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until bread, when tapped on the bottom, sounds hollow.

Remove from oven and cool.

When ready to make crisps reduce oven temperature to 150°C.

Very thinly slice each loaf on an angle into 55 x 2mm-3mm thick slices. Transfer to a low-sided baking tray, cut side down, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until crispy but only lightly browned.

Remove from oven and completely cool.

Store in an airtight container until ready to use or for up to three weeks.