Midnight Mosaic Dark Chocolate (Printable Version)

Dense dark chocolate blend with figs, olives, hazelnuts, and cocoa nibs for an intense taste adventure.

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate Base

01 - 7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1 tbsp honey
04 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Mosaic Topping

05 - 4.25 oz dried figs, stems removed, thinly sliced
06 - 2.8 oz pitted black olives (oil-cured preferred), thinly sliced
07 - 1.75 oz roasted hazelnuts, chopped
08 - 1 oz cocoa nibs

→ Garnish (optional)

09 - Flaky sea salt
10 - Edible gold leaf or dried rose petals

# How-To Steps:

01 - Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the dark chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth; remove from heat and stir in honey and a pinch of sea salt.
03 - Pour the melted mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
04 - Evenly distribute the sliced figs, black olives, chopped hazelnuts, and cocoa nibs on top, gently pressing them into the chocolate to create a dense, mosaic appearance.
05 - Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and edible gold leaf or dried rose petals, if using.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the chocolate is fully set.
07 - Lift the slab from the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into small squares with a sharp knife; serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It breaks every dessert rule and tastes like a sophisticated dare that pays off.
  • The visual drama of the mosaic topping makes it feel far fancier than the 20 minutes of work it actually takes.
  • It pairs brilliantly with port wine or espresso, giving you an excuse to linger at the table longer.
02 -
  • The water under your chocolate bowl must never touch the bowl itself, or even a single drop will cause the chocolate to seize into an unusable mess—use barely simmering water and keep a safe distance.
  • Pressing the toppings into the chocolate creates the "mosaic" effect and prevents bites where you get only chocolate with toppings rattling around; this step takes patience but changes everything about the final texture.
03 -
  • If you're vegan, swap the butter for plant-based butter and the honey for maple syrup—the mosaic works beautifully either way because the chocolate and toppings do the heavy lifting.
  • Make this dessert the day before a dinner party so you can relax instead of rushing through chilling time and slicing when guests are arriving.
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