Glazed Cottage Cheese Bars

Take the cottage cheese out of the fridge in advance so it warms up a little — it blends more easily and the mixture comes out smoother.

Melt the butter and let it cool slightly — it should be warm, not hot.

Combine the cottage cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and the vanilla. Blend to a completely smooth, creamy texture with no grains.

Fill silicone bar moulds with the mixture — I use a piping bag for this. Add a filling in the centre if you like and smooth the surface well; a silicone spatula makes this easy. Freeze for 3–4 hours until the bars are frozen solid.

Melt the chocolate with the butter over a water bath or in the microwave in short 15–20 second bursts. Spear each frozen bar on a skewer, dip it into the chocolate and let the excess drip off. Set on parchment and decorate straight away if you like. For decoration I go for pistachio paste, crushed nuts or pistachios, edible gold or freeze-dried raspberry — take your pick. Chill for 30 minutes to set the glaze.