Chocolate and caramel make a sultry and satiating duo that can’t be matched! Drizzled over a sundae, wrapped in a candy bar, or baked in a molten lava cake…anything chocolate and caramel goes! #ChocolateCaramelWeek anyone?

In the mean time, here are a few chocolate and caramel concoctions that are worth day dreaming about!

The Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

A Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate should be a no brainer! As Joey would say, “Sugar…Good. Salt…GOOD. Chocolate…GOOOOD!”  And this killer concoction takes drinking chocolate to the next level!  Whether you’re making it at home or grabbing it from Starbucks, it’s a mouthwatering MUST-TRY!

The Chocolate Caramel Brownie Cup

 Picture a molten lava cake, made from brownie batter, half baked, and filled with ooey and gooey warm caramel! There in, you have the Chocolate Brownie Cup!Need I say more? I’m not sure life would be the same after this one…but I’m willing to risk it!

Chocolate and Caramel Macarons

These I know for a fact are life changing! My slight obsession with Macarons (and by slight I mean I could eat these everyday-all-day) lead me to concocting these Caramel Filled Chocolate Macarons! I whipped these up with a buddy of mine that was new to baking to prove that homemade macarons are completely doable! If you haven’t tried making them yet, this is the recipe to start with and I guarantee you’ll be hooked!

Brownie Cookies with Salted Caramel Creme Filling

Salted caramel creme—SAY WHAY? Rich caramel whipped into a thick creme and sandwiched between two soft brownies! I don’t think life gets better than these Salted Caramel Brownie Bites, but I’m still willing to search around! Nomming in the name of research, right?! 

Salted Chocolate Caramel Chips

If you want to take it back to basics, these Salted Chocolate Caramel Chips were one of the first caramel and chocolate creations on my channel and I’m still dreaming about them! Simple to make and absolutely killer! Perfect balance of salty, sweet, and bitter (dark chocolate).

Chocolate Caramel Tart

Remember this guy from my “Outragious Chocolate Treats” post? Like I said, this Chocolate Caramel Tart isn’t crazy in execution…it’s crazy because of just how good it sounds! A homemade chocolate tart, filled with a creamy caramel filling made with creme fraiche, topped with a rich chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of sea salt! A sophisticated take on a classic chocolate candy bar and gluttony at its finest! 

Chocolate Ball & Hot Caramel

And if a show is what you’re after, the Chocolate Ball is guaranteed to garner some “ooohs and awes!” Hot caramel poured over a dark chocolate sphere that slowly melts into a pool of warm liquid goodness—all around a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream topped with fresh nuts and berries! A new age sundae that will not be out down!

Rolo Brownie Trifle

The king of chocolate caramel creations, and movie theater nostalgia, would have to be the ROLO! Chewy caramel covered in sweet milk chocolate equals DREAMY! Now imagine someone took the candy we know and love, mashed it into brownie batter, baked that, and them alternated layers of the baked rolo brownie with layers of homemade vanilla bean whipped cream and hot caramel…you’d get the Rolo Brownie Trifle!

MIND BLOWN.

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn

If you’re looking for something a little lighter, there are definitely a few other options that’ll hit the spot! This Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn is made by popping a few kernels, tossing them in some homemade salted caramel, and throwing in a few (or more) dark chocolate chips. Simple, unique, to die for!

Caramel Coated Chocolate and Toffee Apples

And finishing off these killer chocolate and caramel must-tries with a classic—I present to you the Caramel Coated Chocolate and Toffee Apples! A carnival favorite and mine as well! Fresh honeycrisp apples coated in a thick homemade caramel and then rolled in butter toffee and dark chocolate chips! Is this what heaven’s like?

Leave it to a few out-of-the-box thinkers to turn the chocolate world upside down with these unique, and slightly outrageous, chocolaty creations! From the downright bizarre to the curiously mouthwatering, here are a few chocolate concoctions that you should probably know about! Starting with the downright outrageous…

McChoco Potatoes by McDonalds

Photo Credit: cosmopolitan.co.uk

I came across a “news” segment yesterday. In the segment McDonald’s was announcing the release of their newest dessert, the McChoco Potatoes! Basically, french fries drizzled in not one, but two types of chocolate! Dark cacao flavored chocolate and white chocolate! Whether you’re into it or not, don’t get too excited…the french fries will only be released in Japan on a limited time menu.

Who knows if it’ll take off, but if it does, we may just see it hit the mainstream markets one day! McDonald’s says it “makes for a great dessert” by creating a “wonderful salty and sweet harmonious taste.” What do we think guys? Way too far or just right??

Dark Chocolate by Alinea Restaurant

Photo Credit: alinearestaurant.com/

 

On to the extraordinary—this chocolate dessert has been on my radar for some time!  Created by the Alinea Restauraunt in Chicago, this isn’t just a dessert, it’s a full-on theatric performance! Servers swirl spoonfuls of red lingonberry and yellow butternut syrup directly onto the (clean)table! Next they take a sweet stout reduction and allow droplets of the sauce to fall onto the tabletop art. The finale comes by smashing a large chocolate ball that shatters like a piñata over the design! The inside of the ball reveals pieces of cotton candy, freeze dried brown sugar brioche, lingonberry and butternut squash crisps, and ice cream! Sounds like quite the spectacle and a once in a lifetime dessert-experience that would leave your taste buds buzzing!

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Chocolate Caramel Tarte by Marlow and Sons

Photo Credit: saveur.com

Fried Mars Bar by Haven Chip Bar

Photo Credit: independent.co.uk

But if what you really want is a candy bar, this next treat might right up your alley! Concocted as a playful experiment in the Haven Chip Bar (now the Carron Fish Bar), nearly two decades ago—it’s made by taking a chilled Mars bar (caramel and nougat covered in chocolate), coating it in batter, and plunging into a deep fat fryer! BEHOLD, the Fried Mars Bar! A simply genius creation that launched the trend of frying candy bars, twinkies, and just about everything but the kitchen sink! So good, yet SO bad…

Baked Hot Chocolate by The Essence of Chocolate

Photo Credit: katiesplate.com/

The baked hot chocolate is another twist on a traditional favorite! From Scharffenberger’s The Essence of Chocolate, this molten chocolate treat is one part cake, one part molten chocolate, and one part the thickest hot cocao you can imagine! If molten lave cake and hot chocolate had a baby…this would be their baby!

 Beetroot  Chocolate Cake

Photo Credit: kelliesfoodtoglow.com

But maybe you don’t want all the calories of a molten hot cocoa…perhaps you want a healthier option. Chocolateers have got you covered! Just give this Chocolate Beetroot Cake a try! Made with a beetroot puree that’s infused with dark chocolate, this healthy version of a classic guilty pleasure is said to be one capable competitor! The beetroot is said to make the cake “so incredibly moist and deepens the colour, but doesn’t add any particular flavour, just some extra nutrients and phytochemicals.” I’d be interested in giving this one a try! Would you?

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Mini Chocoflan by TheFoodAddicts.com

Photo Credit: thefoodaddicts.com

Lastly, I want you to imagine a classic, creamy flan. Now imagine a moist chocolate sponge cake. Then take everything you thought you knew and say hello to the “Chocoflan!” It’s a Mexican dessert that combines a decadent layer of chocolate cake and a creamy layer of flan into one treat! Topped with a little fresh caramel sauce, the chocoflan is pure genius! Take two of Mexico’s most renown sweets—flan and chocolate—and bake them together using a double boiler method that allows you to apply varying levels of heat to the two very different layers! Again, P-U-R-E genius.

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Enjoy!

It’s no secret that chocolate pairs well with a slew tasty treats, but if you want to learn how to pair like a pro, you need to know the basics of what types of chocolate go best with what types of noms, and why!

Fruits

Photo Credit: chloesgourmettopping.com

We all know that chocolate covered strawberries are the JAM, but did you know that chocolate dipped pears and mangos can be just as sensational? The secret is knowing how to pair which fruits with which chocolates—and in this case opposites attract!

The darker the chocolate, the more bitter. The more bitter, the more it’s needs to be complimented by something very sweet.  That’s why dark chocolate goes great with ripe strawberries, pears, mangos, bananas…the sweeter the better! White chocolate on the other hand is already very rich and sweet.  Pairing white chocolate with fruits that have a higher acidity or more mild flavor, such as tart berries and citrus, or mild melons and passion fruit, compliment this type of chocolate VERY well! If ever in doubt, milk chocolate is the best middle ground.

Nuts

Photo Credit: goosagourmet.com

I love nuts, I love chocolate, and frankly I love them both together! Though, it can be said that chocolate enhances the flavor of some nuts better than others. Peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans have very distinct flavor components that go great with dark chocolate! They may be a little overpowering for some milk and most definitely white chocolates. Walnuts tend to be a bit more mild than it’s counterpart the pecan and goes great with milk chocolate! Macadamias are ideal when working with white chocolate because they are very mild and compliment the richness of white chocolate.  It’s all about that balance!

Cheeses

Photo Credit: thewifeofadairyman.blogspot.com

Rich, buttery, nutty, creamy–terms you can use interchangeably when talking about cheese and chocolate! It doesn’t initially seem like an obvious match, but certain cheeses and chocolates have flavor components that complement each other VERY well!

In general, lighter and creamier cheeses pair better with lighter, and consequently, creamier chocolates. Pairing milk chocolate with a side of Gruyère (known for its nutty flavor) will emphasize the sweetness of the chocolate and the nuttiness of the cheese without overpowering either of the flavor components. A cheese that is more acidic and pungent, like a blue cheese or a goat cheese, would go better with a darker chocolate that can stand its own amongst those intense flavors.

Sweet Fillings

Photo Credit: moresweetsplease.com

When it comes to sweeter chocolate add-ins, like honey and caramel, I prefer a darker chocolate base.  Yes it’s true, milk chocolate and caramel taste great together, but it’s also true that they make one rich combo! A piece or two and you’re sugared out…where as a dark chocolate filled with caramel creates a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, without being overwhelming.

Peanut Butter

Photo Credit: http://www.thewannabechef.net

In the case of peanut butter and chocolate, the flavor and texture of roasted nuts are very similar to those of cocoa beans and mix well together—as evident by the plethora of popular chocolate and peanut butter concoctions! 

When the oils of peanut butter combine with the cocoa butter of chocolate, the melting point of the chocolate decreases. This allows for it to melt in your mouth more rapidly and release a burst of chocolatey-peanut-butter flavors as soon as it hits your tongue! I would recommend that if you make a peanut butter and chocolate dish at home, always use an unsweetened peanut butter if you’re working with milk chocolate and a sweetened peanut butter with dark chocolate.  Balancing the sweetness is key!

Salty Treats

Photo Credit: foodbabbles.com

Not the most obvious choices for pairing with chocolate…but bacon, potato chips, pretzels, and generally most salted treats go great with chocolate, and I believe I know WHY!

Sugar represents energy. Our bodies need energy, hence when we consume sugar positive receptors go off, giving ourselves a hypothetical “pat on the back.” The same goes with salt.  Unlike other nutrients we have no way of storing salt for future use, but we need it to survive. Therefor we constantly crave salt. With this in mind, providing our bodies with salty treats (bacon, chips, pretzels) and then coating those treats in sugar (chocolate), creates a DOUBLE WHAMMY of positive reception! Hence, why we love it!

Coffee

Photo Credit: aloha.com/

A more obvious pairing of chocolate would be with coffee! Both nutty and bold flavors go phenomenally well together; especially when paired correctly! Darker chocolates goes with darker and bolder roasts, like a Sumatra or Italian roast. Anything that won’t be overpowered by either of the bold components. Milk chocolate goes best with a medium roast, like Colombian, Kenyan, or Kona coffee. A breakfast blend is sensational with a few pieces of creamy milk chocolate! Lighter roasts, like Costa Rican and Yemeni coffees, pair well with the lightest of “chocolates”—white chocolate!

Wine

Photo Credit: exoticchocolatetasting.com/

Now everybody loves the idea of pairing chocolate and wine! It’s so romantic, right? But truth be told, the actual task can be a bit more daunting than expected—and with good reason. Chocolate and wine both have very intense flavors! A bite of good chocolate can easily overpower the taste of a light red or white wine—as does a sip of good dry wine to less bold chocolates…

The key to successfully pairing wine with chocolate is to match sweetness with sweetness! A little counter intuitive compared to pairing chocolate with just about any else, but it’s the only way to do it! Pairing milk chocolate (or sweeter dark chocolates) with dessert wines, like a Vintage Port, Madeira, or a sweet sherry, is the easiest way to make a successful pairing. These types of wine bring a natural sweetness to help keep up with the sweetness of the chocolate. And when paired right…chocolate and wine can be extraordinary!

All that said…what’s your favorite, and MOST unusual, chocolate pairing?
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Would it really be #ChocolateWeek without a foray into the inner makings of the chocolate bars we all know and love? I think not. That’s why I gathered everything you need to know about what’s really in your favorite candy bars! You may just be surprised by some of the recipe secrets that keep us coming back for seconds…and thirds!

BUTTERFINGER

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

The Butterfinger has been a long time favorite of most. It was made back in the 1920’s and is still at the top of it’s game! Most know it as a crunchy peanut butter flavored candy, covered in a “chocolatey coating. ” Not many people know that “chocolatey coating” is actually another term used for a “compound chocolate.” What a compound chocolate is, is a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat (coconut or palm kernel oil), and sweeteners. The vegetable fat replaces the cocoa butter you would find in pure chocolate and is simply more cost effective.

The crunchy peanut butter interior? That’s made by combing corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter. It’s basically a peanut butter flavored brittle that gets coated in “chocolate.”

 KITKAT 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Whether you’re addicted to the candy bar or the catchy Kit Kat-Jingle, you’re most likely familiar with this movie theatre classic! Produced by Nestlé, the Kit Kat is a chocolate-covered wafer-biscuit-bar-creation!  If you wanted to duplicate the recipe at home, you may be surprised how it’s made! The wafer-like interior is basically made by alternating layers of butter crackers and a sugar based liquid made from dark brown sugar, milk, and granulated sugar. The cracker layers absorb/merge with the molten sugar mixture and create that crispy wafer! And then what?

Would you be surprised if I told you that Kit Kats aren’t coated in just chocolate? You won’t be from now on! The coating on Kit Kats is actually a combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch! Next time you crunch into a Kit Kat, see if you can pick up on the other flavors!

MILKYWAY

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

The Milky Way is huge in the U.S., but most other countries sell a very similar version (made by the same company)—the Mars Bar. Both are made of a chocolate-malt nougat topped with caramel and covered with tempered milk chocolate. You should check out my blog on tempering chocolate to really absorb what that means, but it’s basically a perfectly heated chocolate that cools to be hard to the snap and glossy looking. The chocolaty nougat is much more simple to explain! It’s a simple combo of marshmallow fluff and melted chocolate. Delicious!

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

One can argue endlessly on the right way to eat a Reese’s, but who has time for that?? Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the king of all peanut treats! Though I must admit, my wife and I do love the Justin’s brand too…though back to Reese’s! They’re made by combining peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter. The ingredients are whipped together to make a more sustainable form of peanut butter.  That combo then gets scooped into a milk chocolate cup, is cooled, topped off with more milk chocolate, and is then cooled again— forming one seamless cup.

SNICKERS

Photo Credit: Wikimedia 

Now comes the Snickers bar—A.K.A. the common cure for divas and the subject of a $2 billion industry! An obviously popular choice, the Snickers is very similar to the Milky Way, but with a peanut butter twist! It all starts with the nugget. Made by combining marshmallow fluff and peanut butter! Top that with fresh peanuts and a combo of caramel combined with heavy cream, and this bar is ready to be coated! Like the Kit Kat bar, you may be surprised to know that the chocolate exterior is actually a combination of milk chocolate and peanut butter—hitting home the overall peanut theme of the bar!

 TWIX

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Lastly, the Twix. A favorite of those who like to share—the Twix bar always comes with a pair! Unless you go with the minis…but go big or go home, right? It’s made of a butter cookie topped with caramel and coated with milk chocolate. The butter cookie is a simple combo of flour, butter, and sugar. Top that with a mixture of butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, or as I like to call it…”caramel,” and this treat is ready to be coated in tempered milk chocolate!

Now after all of this, try not to go buy a candy bar…I dare you!