Need to whip up a quick edible Christmas present? Then make Lesley Waters' posh chocolate slab, which you can craft to suit the taste of the recipient with different dried fruits, nuts and chocolate

Posh fruit and nut chocolate slab

Pass around shards of these delicious morsels of dark chocolate, dried berries, cherries and crunchy toasted nuts after a meal instead of dessert. If any of the chocolate slab is left over, place in a Kilner or airtight jar in a cool place. It will keep for at least 2 weeks. This version is vegan, but you can swap the vegan milk and vegan white chocolate for dairy versions if they are not vegan. Use whatever nuts and dried fruit you like - make it tropical with dried pineapple, mango and coconut, or try dried apricots, pecan and walnuts. Whatever floats your boat.

Serves 12

600g vegan dark chocolate

85g vegan milk chocolate

55g vegan white chocolate

50g hazelnuts, toasted

50g pistachio nuts

50g selection dried cherries and berries

Method: Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate into separate heatproof bowls. Place each bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir with a spatula until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the dark chocolate onto the tray and smooth out with a spatula. Using a teaspoon, drizzle over the milk chocolate and swirl into the dark chocolate. Then decorate the surface with the nuts and fruit.

Using a fresh teaspoon or paper cone drizzle the white chocolate over the fruit and nuts and leave to set in a cool place (do not refrigerate). When set break into shards.

To book a cookery lesson with Lesley at home with your friends email info@lesleywaters.com, find more details at lesleywaters.com where you can buy Lesley’s book Deliciously Dairy Free

Click here to try three Christmas canape recipes by Lesley Waters