Explore the wonderful world of quirky chocolate combinations — which will you try?

Have you tried any unusual chocolate-coated foods?

At Hotel Chocolat, we’re not afraid to break the chocolate mould and try new and exciting flavour pairings. While we’re partial to the classics, our chocolatiers also love experimenting with irresistible ingredients, finding new tastes, textures, and aromas. From our tipsy Lady Marmalade Selector to a Chilli Chocolate Selector that unites creamy praline with tongue-tingling spice, we like to explore combinations that might not immediately come to mind.

We find recipe inspiration in all kinds of places — from French patisseries to the verdant rainforest of Saint Lucia.

Chocolate-coated treats

As well as embracing creative flavour combinations, we also enjoy a chocolate-coated treat or two. By enrobing real fruits and nuts with high-cacao chocolate, we’ve come up with a fair few varieties. Our Enrobed Cherries take juicy candied cherries and coat them in both milk and dark chocolate for a decadent bite with a succulent centre.

And if you like a bit of a fiery kick, you might enjoy our Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger — irresistible syrup-soaked stem ginger sticks enrobed in 70% dark chocolate.

Or how about something crunchy? Our Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts have a thick coating of shiny dark chocolate and a heavenly roasted nut centre.

Unusual chocolate-coated foods from around the world

From bananas and berries to coffee beans and marshmallows, in our opinion, there’s no food that’s not improved by a generous layer of chocolate. But fruit, nuts, and herbaceous roots may seem rather traditional in comparison to some of these chocolate-coated foods from around the world. Could any of the following provide us with some new recipe inspiration?

Chocolate cheese

Cheese and chocolate are a surprisingly delicious pairing. Chocolate con queso is a popular treat in Colombia, particularly in the winter. While this isn’t a chocolate-coated food, it certainly brings together two rather unexpected ingredients.

Chocolate con queso is essentially a cup of creamy hot chocolate with cheese. The cheese melts into the hot chocolate to create a gorgeously gooey, comforting drink. Spices, such as cinnamon and cloves give an extra layer of flavour. Think of it as two favourite fondues in one! (Of course, if you want to stick with the melted chocolate, you can always tuck into our Large Chocolate Dipping Adventure).

Meanwhile, in the States, chocolate-cheese bites have become popular: cubes of mild cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese enrobed in bold dark chocolate with a pinch of salt. The chocolate-covered cubes look lovely and make an excellent canape for Christmas parties.

Crunchy chocolate-covered onions

Biting into a crunchy raw onion may not be your idea of a treat, but how about if it’s coated in chocolate? Rich, good-quality chocolate would certainly temper the bitterness, at least. If you’re tempted to try, you can find whole chocolate-coated onions in several Philadelphia sweet shops.

Crispy chocolate-coated seaweed

Although seaweed is a nutritious crispy snack, usually seen as savoury, you’ll also find chocolate-coated seaweed in Korean supermarkets. Just as salted caramel creates a great contrast between salty and sweet, the umami edge of seaweed can underscore the richness of high-cacao dark chocolate.

Protein-rich chocolate scorpions

Scorpions are a popular street snack in several countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, and China. Often, they’re deep-fried and served on sticks. If eating these venomous arachnids as they are doesn’t appeal, how about trying one dipped in chocolate?

With 50% protein, scorpion is a highly nutritious meat that is becoming increasingly popular around the world. You can even buy chocolate scorpions in a range of UK stores.

Chocolate-dipped jalapenos

Why not add a spicy twist to your date-night snacks and swap chocolate strawberries for chocolate-dipped jalapenos?

You could even make your own by melting some premium chocolate and dipping whole jalapenos straight in. We recommend giving white chocolate a go – tangy chilli pepper meets creamy cacao butter and a subtle vanilla sweetness. Make sure you choose a good quality white chocolate and try tempering it to get a gorgeous glossy result. Our White Chocolate Batons are a great option.

And if you want to add an extra bit of flair, you could decorate your chocolate jalapenos with a zig-zag pattern of milk or dark chocolate. Simply melt it then drizzle it artfully over the cooled white chocolate.

Frozen chocolate-covered rose petals

If jalapenos don’t strike you as romantic, we’re sure chocolate rose petals will. This recipe, created by a rose grower in South America, is simple yet effective, and makes a beautiful garnish for desserts.

By freezing rose petals, you get a crisp, firm texture to work with. Simply dip the edge of each petal in dark chocolate, and set aside. Floral flavours are delicate and nuanced, and pair fabulously with the intensity of high-cacao dark chocolate, as we found with our Rose and Violet Cremes.

If you want to try making chocolate rose petal nibbles at home, why not try melting our 85% Dark Chocolate Batons or go even bolder with a 90% Dark Chocolate Slab?

Chocolate mint leaves

Another quick and simple garnish idea is chocolate-dipped mint leaves. Fresh mint and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven. Together, they offer a rich yet refreshing mouthful. Why not dip the edge of large mint leaves into a bowl of melted chocolate and serve with cacao-laden desserts for a light and revitalising after-dinner treat?

Discover your own chocolate recipes

Have any of these quirky combos inspired you to try some new chocolate coated foods? Why not get creative in the kitchen and explore some chocolate-dipped sweet and savoury snacks. Our guide to enrobing chocolate will show you where to start.