Sweet snack: Dark chocolate bites satisfy craving, sweet tooth
I am one of those people who never travels more than five minutes from my house without packing some kind of snack. Just in case. I go through heavy rotations of granola bars, trail mix and, most recently, these dark chocolate bites. They're the perfect little nosh to help me power through a train delay or restaurant wait list without turning into a hungry zombie.
Another use for your ice cube tray
For this recipe, I prefer a silicon ice cube tray over a standard plastic tray because it makes it a little easier to get the chocolates out of the molds in one piece without breaking.
You'll need two trays for this recipe, and make sure they are both clean and completely dry before making your chocolates. Any flecks of water in the corners will make the chocolate set with a strange texture. Also, coat the trays with nonstick spray to make them easier to dislodge after they've set.
Treat yourself to good chocolate
Not only will your bites taste better, but good-quality chocolate usually melts and resets much better than chocolate chips or other lower-quality chocolate. This said, bites made with chocolate chips are better than no chocolate at all, so use what you have and enjoy eating! I use dark chocolate, but you could also make these bites with milk chocolate, white chocolate or any percentage of dark chocolate that you like.
Topping your bites
Here's where you can really go wild. Top off these bites with chopped nuts, dried fruit, candied ginger, coconut flakes or anything else that sounds appealing to you. Just avoid any fresh ingredients or ingredients that have a lot of moisture (like fresh berries or pomegranate seeds) since these will decrease the shelf-life of your chocolates and give the chocolate a grainy texture.
Finishing and storing your bites
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