From mac and cheese to instant noodles: make the best of Chocolate Day with these bizarre recipes

Mac and Cheese with Chocolate

Recipe by Monica’s Table

Ingredients:

• 4 Oz. Bittersweet ( 60% Cacao) Chocolate* chips or a bar broken into small pieces
• 2 Quarts of Water
• 1 Tablespoon of Salt
• 1 Pound Small or Medium Shell Pasta
• 3 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 Cups Milk plus ½ Cup to thin the sauce if needed
• 3 Oz. Smoked Gouda Cheese with Bacon*, grated
• 1 ½ oz of Gruyere Cheese, grated
• Sea Salt and Freshly Ground White Pepper

Procedure:

1. Place the chocolate in a small food processor or heavy-duty blender and pulverize to a powder. Transfer the powder to a small container and set it aside.
2. Put the water, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the oil in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. Drain the pasta saving a cup of pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
3. Meanwhile, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cheese, remove from heat and continue stirring until the cheese melts. Combine the cheese sauce and pasta shells in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. If needed, thin the cheese mixture adding small amounts of the pasta water to achieve the desired consistency. Transfer the Shells and Cheese Sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle the chocolate over it. Serve the dish warm with the remaining chocolate on the side so your guests can sprinkle on as much on their serving as they would like.
4. Save any remaining chocolate in an airtight container for another use. 

Chocolate-covered bacon

Recipe by Gina Neely, from Food Network

Ingredients:

• 16 slices applewood smoked bacon, thick-cut, cooked crisp and cooled, cut in half
• 3 (4-ounce) bars semisweet chocolate, chopped (recommended: Ghirardelli)
• 1 (4-ounce) bar white chocolate, chopped

Procedure:

1. Melt both the semisweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate double boilers. Whisk until completely smooth. Remove them from the heat.
2. Dunk the bacon into the semisweet chocolate and make sure it is completely coated. Let excess drip off and lay on a parchment or waxed paper-lined quarter sheet tray. Repeat with all the bacon slices. Drizzle the white chocolate over the chocolate-covered bacon. Put the sheet tray in the refrigerator to set, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the sheet tray to a serving dish and serve.

Chocolate Maggi (Instant Noodles)

Recipe by Popxo, from Recipe Book 

Ingredients:

• 1 chocolate bar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 serving Maggi (instant noodles)
• 15 pcs gems 
• 1 cup water 

Procedure:

1. Boil 1 cup water
2. Add Maggi in boiling water and wait for 2 minutes to boil Maggi
3. Take out the Maggi from the water
4. Heat a pan and add butter and add chocolate wait until the chocolate melt
5. Add Maggi in the pan mix well and turn off the gas
6. Take out chocolate Maggi in a bowl and garnish with gems

Chocolate-crusted beef tenderloin

Recipe from Taste of Home 

Ingredients:

• 4 beef tenderloin steaks (1-1/2 inches thick and 6 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa

• 3 tablespoons finely ground coffee

Procedure: 

1. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, mix cocoa and coffee. Dip steaks in cocoa mixture to coat all sides; shake off excess.
2. Place steaks on a rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 9-11 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°).

Chocolate Martini

Recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• ice cubes
• 2 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces creme de cacao or chocolate liqueur
• chocolate shavings, white chocolate curl, or chocolate truffle for garnish

Procedure:

1. Fill a mixing glass or tumbler three-fourths full with ice. Add vodka and creme de cacao; stir until condensation forms on the outside of the glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish as desired.
2. If you want to make it creamy: Stir 1-2 oz. half-and-half cream with vodka and creme de cacao. Strain into a chocolate syrup-drizzled cocktail glass if desired.

Article thumbnails from Monica's Table, Popxo, and Taste of Home