Meanwhile, the superpowers contained within a single mint leaf continued to hold sway. The French would make bouquets of mint and St John’s Wort to scare off evil spirits, whereas the English said that if you found a flowering mint plant on Midsummer’s Day you’d be happy forever. Blimey.

These old-school mints were a far cry from our modern-day humbugsand spearmint chews, as they were in the form of pellets made from frankincense, myrrh (not gold though), and cinnamon. These core ingredients were mixed up and then boiled with honey, all of which sounds quite pleasant, doesn't it?When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Bake the fondants on a baking tray in the middle of the oven for 9 minutes. Pour into a small plastic container and pop in the fridge to set for about one hour. Once set, make teaspoon sized balls of ganache and refrigerate on a plate until needed. Remove from the oven, carefully invert one fondant over a plate and lift the mould off. Repeat the process with the remaining puddings, then serve immediately, with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Stay in touch The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans are known for their wisdom, innovation, industriousness, and organisational skills. In general, they’re also considered clean civilisations due to their focus on bathing and personal hygiene. As for people who lived in Medieval times… well, they weren’t quite as nostril-friendly.

Once the peppermint cream has set, melt the rest of the dark chocolate over simmering water. Let it cool slightly, then spread another layer of dark chocolate over the set peppermint cream, tipping the tray in all directions so the chocolate evens out over the surface. Leave in the fridge to set. Pour the chocolate batter into your prepared moulds until each is one third full, then cover and refrigerate until firm – about 30 minutes. In true Roman fashion, the conquerors took mint with them wherever they went, resulting in the herb becoming a common ingredient across the world. Put the cream and mint leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for an hour.Like the Greeks, the Romans added mint in their baths. They also gave it to slaves in the form of a tonic by mixing it with barley water. Wealthy Romans crowned themselves with mint leaves during feasts and they were even used in some buildings as a cleaning agent to give floors a pleasing scent. Meanwhile, make the fondant. Put the egg white in a clean bowl and gently stir with a fork to break up. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then add half to the egg white. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. These sweets are a real classic, always remember these as a child the ones mums/dads/ grans and aunty always seem to carry in their handbags! and what a pleasant sweet treat they were and still are - a very minty iced firm texture crystallised sugar shell with a soft peppermint fondant centre a lot like those famous Clarnico Mint Creams and still as tasty today as they always were. For us fine ingredients are not an indulgence, they are a necessity. We source our own ingredients; we develop our own recipes, and then we make our own products. Our people are dedicated to nothing less than the pursuit of dark chocolate perfection.

Mint chocolate fondant with a gooey molten centre – Yes please! If you don’t know how to make a chocolate fondant then this is the recipe for you, guaranteed to give you a rich, gooey, decadent dessert with a refreshing minty twist to enjoy at home..” – Ben Johnson, Exec Head Chef. For the white mint chocolate ganache you’ll need:Greek athletes would rub mint leaves over their wet skin after bathing to give them extra strength, whereas students wore wreaths made of mint to sharpen their mental faculties. Even the senators used it liberally, believing that sprigs of mint on their person would help them to speak more eloquently whilst keeping their temper at bay during debates.

It wasn’t just the Egyptians who loved mint. The Ancient Greeks considered it a sign of hospitality, used it in their baths, and also flavoured their water with it because they believed it held special powers. Butter the moulds again and dust liberally with cocoa powder. Place in the fridge while you prepare the fondant mixture.

Mint leaves continued to be used for all kinds of things, from adding enjoyable aromas around the home to proving the perfect accompaniment to a plate of lamb chops. Brandy balls were popular in London in the 1850s, as they contained peppermint and cinnamon and advertised as “warming the tongue like brandy does”. Other types of peppermint sweets were also available throughout Europe around this time, which were made by independent traders in their homes. With disease, pestilence, filth and grime everywhere you looked, Medieval Europe was no picnic. Thank goodness that mint had made it this far, as those pongy peeps would use it to purify drinking water that turned sour during long ocean voyages. They also used it on insect bites and as a digestive aid, as well as to freshen their breath, which shows how versatile this simple plant is. Sweets come individually wrapped in traditional blue style wrappers with the Lamy Lutti logo - weight includes wrappers. Melt half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t allow the water to touch the bowl). Pour into the tray, shake until evenly spread, then put in the fridge to harden. Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water. Take off the heat and stir until smooth.