I Tried Grilled Chocolate and It Was a Revelation

Fans of grilled cheese who seek a little something sweet after today’s main event (many swoon-worthy grilled cheeses on National Grilled Cheese Day) will be pleased to know that I recently came across the platonic ideal of a hot dessert sandwich. All that’s asked of you is to keep the bread nearby, hang on to that softened butter, but make a beeline to the pantry instead of the fridge and grab your chocolate. Please say hello to grilled chocolate. 

Much like grilled cheese, the grilled chocolate is a cultural fixture in its own right. In fact, it’s a coveted street food in Mumbai, India, and a classic cafe sandwich in Turin, Italy. I was curious to make one with ease under the guidance of someone who really knows their way around bread and, much to my delight, I came across this how-to recipe from the smart bakers over at King Arthur Baking Company. When they claim something “was a revelation,” I drop everything and give it a try for myself. 

If you know how to make a killer grilled cheese, then you’re already set up to successfully make a grilled chocolate. Grab two thick slices of bread (preferably a tangy kind, such as sourdough or country bread) and top one slice with chopped or grated chocolate. you can cover the other half with some red berry jam or choose to keep it bare. Whatever the case, sandwich the two slices together. Then, spread softened butter on the outer sides of the sandwich. In a small skillet set over medium-low heat, cook the sandwich, pressing ever gently with a spatula, until one side is golden and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat on the other side. Serve immediately. 

For something built on elements I was very familiar with — hot buttered bread and melted chocolate — this sandwich left me in an emoji-like state of mind-blowing disbelief. It was a simple and elegant fast track to melty, crispy, super-chocolatey euphoria, and incredibly easy to whip up to boot. I couldn’t get enough of how the tangy bread complemented its sweet dark-chocolate filling. Grilled chocolate was, as promised, a revelation.

I’m glad I added a smear of raspberry jam because the molten chocolate really needed some acidic fruit to tone down its richness. While I don’t think grilled chocolate will replace Rice Krispies treats as my go-to, easy-peasy stovetop dessert, it will be a great thing to make the next time I get a big crusty loaf of sourdough. 

• Use sturdy bread without any holes. This not only guarantees a crunch that can be heard around the world, but it is also a guarantee that none of that molten chocolate will ooze out and burn on the skillet as the sandwich cooks. A chocolate-less grilled chocolate is hardly a grilled chocolate at all! 
• Finely chop your chocolate. For the fastest and most efficient melting, you want to chop your chocolate into small, rather uniform pieces. Pre-portioned chocolate such as chocolate chips sound ideal for a grilled chocolate sandwich, but in reality, due to their lower cocoa content and the fact that they contain stabilizing agents, they don’t melt as nicely here. You’ll want bar chocolate or melting chocolate.