Chocolate Covered Garlic Cloves

Tonight is our Annual Garlic Dinner, the 21st annual Garlic extravaganza to be exact.  Although the tea room has been open for 23 years, our traditional Halloween celebration of the stinking rose apparently didn't start until we were two years into this adventure.  We have continued this tradition - putting garlic into every course of the meal, and tonight is no different.  As part of the menu, our guests will be enjoying Chocolate Covered Garlic Cloves.  We served something similar in 2008, and you can find the post and recipe here.  But, this year, we are trying a slightly different recipe which I found on the Internet. 

This very simple recipe is adapted from The Garlic Book by Susan Belsinger.  You can find the recipe here.  Fresh whole garlic cloves are simmered in a combination of 1/2 c. red wine, 1/4 c. sugar, and lemon peel for about 20 minutes.  Once tender, remove lemon peel and drain garlic.  Melt bittersweet chocolate (I used a combination of Ghirardelli's bittersweet and semisweet) as directed on the package.  Dip each clove into the chocolate, and place on a wax paper lined tray.  Chill until chocolate is firm.  Place garlic cloves in candy cups and serve to your guests.  These are best eaten 24 - 48 hours after preparing them  Enjoy! 

Happy Halloween!