Chocolate Sticks

Make sure the butter or margarine is at room temperature and add to a mixing bowl with icing sugar (confectionery sugar).

Cream the butter and icing sugar together until smooth, light, and fluffy.

Add the vegetable oil, vanilla essence and a pinch of salt, then mix again. At this stage the mixture might look slightly clumpy or separated, but that’s completely normal.

Add the milk powder, corn flour and cake flour, then mix together.

Once it starts coming together, use your hands to form a soft dough.

Portion the dough into 16 gram pieces, then gently clench and roll each one in your hand until you get a smooth log shape.

Place onto baking paper and gently roll using your palm. The dough is quite crumbly since there are no eggs to bind it, so take your time here.

Fold the baking paper over the dough, then use a scraper to gently push and tighten it into a smooth stick shape.

Repeat a few times until you’re happy with the length and shape.

Each of my sticks measured around 14cm in length.

Use the same baking paper to roll the sticks onto a baking tray. They are very delicate, so picking them up with your hands will cause them to break.

Once the tray is full, place it into the freezer for about 20 minutes until the dough firms up. This helps the dough sticks hold their shape while baking.

Then bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden and the sticks are baked through.

Allow them to cool on the tray for a minute. The biscuits need to firm up as they cool & if they are removed from the tray whilst hot, they will break. Thereafter, carefully transfer them onto a colling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Once the biscuits are completely cooled, add the chocolate pieces into a microwave safe bowl.

Add in a tablespoon of vegetable oil as this will give the chocolate a smoother coating.

Heat in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring well between each round, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. I repeated this process about 3 times to prevent it from burning.

Transfer the melted chocolate into a tall glass as this will be easier to dip the biscuits into.

Dip each biscuit stick into melted chocolate.

Gently scrape the bottom of each stick against the edge of the glass to remove any excess chocolate.

Then place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Pop the tray into the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set.

You may leave them as is if preferred with the excess chocolate on the ends.

I like to take a knife and clean out those edges for a more aesthetic finish.

And just like that, we’ve got the perfect chocolate-dipped biscuit sticks…light, buttery, and completely irresistible.

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, especially in warmer weather, so the chocolate doesn’t soften or melt.

If you’d like to keep them longer, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Just allow them to come back to room temperature before serving so the biscuit regains its crisp texture. These also freeze well (without the chocolate dip or after setting). Freeze in a sealed container for up to 2 months, then thaw at room temperature when needed.

These chocolate sticks are best served once the chocolate has fully set for that crisp snap and smooth bite. Enjoy them with a hot cup of tea or coffee for the perfect afternoon treat. They also look beautiful arranged on a dessert platter, or packaged in a jar or box for gifting. Simple, elegant, and always a crowd-pleaser – they tend to disappear quickly once served.