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This hot chocolate taste like Heaven. Real Heaven. Everyone should try this, like today, or better yet, right now. You’ll thank us. That’s all I need to say about this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

1/3 heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped(make sure it’s the best you can find. It makes a difference!) 

1 Cup whipped cream for garnish (marshmallows can be used for an “An American hot chocolate in Paris”)

Cocoa powder for dusting

Method

Simmer the milk, cream and sugar together until just boiling. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Don’t let it boil. Serve warm in warm mugs.

Chocolate covered bacon has been a recent food trend over the past year or so that at first seemed shocking and bizarre but  if you think about it, really isn’t all that  crazy to understand. Chocolate and salt work really, really well together, like yin and yang. It makes sense to drizzle chocolate over something high in salt because it balances it out. Not only the salt, but velvety chocolate compliments crisp textures  like pretzels, potato chips and yes, even bacon.

Using chocolate with savoury items is nothing new to Latin American cultures. Dishes like chicken mole  use chilis and chocolate to add extra depth.

Essentially anything that is salty and crispy will work will with a  coating of chocolate. The trick to doing it right is to use small amounts, use good quality chocolate and stay on the dark side. Cheap milk chocolate just won’t do justice. There’s is no question that chocolate covered bacon should be eaten sparingly. It is decadent and over the top but in very small quantities that’s a good thing. Less is definitely more.

If you are looking to entertain and want to do something different and fun, start off with a platter of chocolate covered salty snacks but make sure to pair them with same sort of “palate cleanser” something like tart green grapes work nicely. Side note:  Guinness beer pairs wonderfully with chocolate too.

What I like about using these as an appetizer is that they are playful but decadent all at the same time. I think if you plan to celebrate Valentines day  you  don’t have to settle for the overdone box of chocolates. Be creative and have fun!!

Chocolate Covered Bacon + Potato Chips:

Makes 12 pieces:

Ingredients

12 Bacon strips

3 Cups Regular Potato Chips

6 oz dark chocolate

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350

2. Cover a oven sheet pan with aluminum foil

3. Place strips of bacon on foil, spacing them evenly apart and ensuring they don’t over lap

4. Bake the bacon in oven for 15 min-20 min till crispy

5. Meanwhile, fill a small pot half way with water, place on stove and bring to a simmer

6.  Place a bowl that is heat resistant, on top of the pot

7. Add your chocolate to the bowl and let it melt, stir occasionally

8. When bacon is ready, remove to paper towels and gently pat with paper towel removing to dry the bacon out

9. When chocolate is fully melted, dip you bacon half way then let is cool completely on a wire rack or a clean oven tray

10. Repeat with potato chips

11. Serve with a side of grapes, roasted cashews and pair with a premium beer of your choice

Overall, La Petite Chef hates February.  Very few things happen that are interesting in this month.  Catering is usually very slow as people recover from the holidays and the weather is certainly depressing. The only thing remotely interesting for food and entertainment in February is Valentine’s day and the Super Bowl.   

Valentines’ day wins out this year since over Christmas I got a very generous gift from a wonderful woman I know. It was a giant piece of Belgian chocolate that had been smuggled from Europe by a friend of hers. It looked like a piece that had been broken off a very giant chocolate door. My spirits were instantly lifted when I saw it.  I could now look forward to playing with a multitude of chocolate recipes geared for Valentines.  We’ve posted some of our favourite recipes- French hot chocolate and chocolate covered bacon + potato chips. Enjoy!

p.s. Thank you Lynn!!

Happy Hosting!