Three great tastes…at least in my humble opinion.

As promised, here is my contribution to the Jacquieros Mansion’s Pinterest Party. The original recipe and lovely, melt-in-your-mouth step by step photos can be found here.

6-8 mild chili peppers

spiced rum

200 grams of dark chocolate

mango flavored tea

First prepare the chilies. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a long slit down each chili. Now carefully remove the stems and seeds. Insert a joke about seeds and stems here if you have the humor of an adolescent boy. I used a pickle fork but you can use your finger to scoop out the seeds and stems…you might want to wear gloves and carefully wash your hands afterward…I’m just saying. This will reduce a lot of the heat. Part of me asks why but if you are sharing these delicious treats, other people might not be able to take that kind of heat.

To further reduce the heat…because some people really can’t take the heat…poach them for about two minutes in boiling water then strain. Rinse immediately in icy, cold water. No, that will not take away anymore heat.

Place your chilies into a clean jar or other container with a lid and pour enough spiced rum to cover those pretty, red beauties. Allow them to marinate for at least 12 hours.

Aren’t they pretty sitting there and marinating and stuff like that?

The chilies are filled with a mango tea-infused water ganache which is basically an emulsion. You will need about half of the chocolate and a half cup of hot tea. Melt your chocolate according to package directions. Once it is melted begin to add the hot tea one tablespoon at a time. Stir in each tablespoon thoroughly before adding another. The chocolate mixture might seize up…it did…but just keep stirring and adding a tablespoon at a time of the hot tea until you end up with a smooth, runny consistency. It took about six tablespoons for me to get to this point. This, my friends, is a ganache!

While the ganache cools a little, fish out the chilies and drain. I strained the rum with plans to use this hot peppers infused booze for some spicy cocktails in the future…YUM!

Fill a piping bag with the ganache, cut off the end and carefully pipe it in each of the chilies. Wipe away any excess chocolate and let these set for a couple of hours or stick them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

After the ganache has set, melt the remaining chocolate and dip each pepper in, carefully coating them. Lay them on baking parchment or waxed paper to set…yes, more setting.

It’s good to set for a spell from time to time don’t you think?

Once the chocolate layer has set, peel the chilies from the parchment and trim off the excess chocolate…and you’re done!

Seriously yum!

I won’t lie, they do have a spicy kick. I think it is a combo of the rum and the peppers but combined with that dark chocolate this is a seriously, decadent treat…perhaps to share at a Super Bowl party.

Go ‘Niners!