• Harvesting Spruce Tips: First, head out to a spruce tree (or your local specialty market if you're not up for foraging). Look for the tender, bright green tips that appear in the spring. Make sure to collect responsibly – only take what you need and leave plenty for the tree to continue growing.

  Preparing the Tips: Give your spruce tips a good rinse and pat them dry. Their delicate nature means they don't need much more than that.

  Melting the Chocolate: Choose your favorite type of chocolate—dark, milk, or even white works great. I got very dark chocolate without sugar because we will be making a spice tip sprinkle with mok fruit for sweetness. Melt it gently using a double boiler or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth.

  Dipping Time: Dip each spruce tip into the melted chocolate, ensuring it's well-coated. Lay them out on a sheet of parchment paper to cool and harden. For an extra touch, sprinkle sea salt, spruce pine sprinkle, or crushed nuts on top before the chocolate sets.

Spruce Tips Sprinkle

• If you're up for a foraging adventure, head to a spruce tree in spring and gently pick the bright green tips. Otherwise, check specialty markets or foraging shops.

  Rinse the tips thoroughly and pat them dry.

  Grate the zest of one lemon and one orange. Make sure to avoid the white pith, which can be bitter.

  Blend the tips in the food processor (consistency of pesto).

  Add the lemon and orange zest and monk fruit and mix it together. Before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle a touch of sprinkle over the dipped spruce tips. This adds a delicate sweetness that balances the tart and citrusy flavors.

  Allow the chocolate to harden completely. You can speed up the process by placing the dipped tips in the fridge for a few minutes.