To wonder whether I should really put chocolate in chilli con carne?!

[Prettybubblesintheair]

I’m doing a slow cooker chilli today, found a bbc recipe but it calls for 4 squares of dark chocolate! Does anyone else do this? A couple of years ago I made a stove stop chilli and added one square of dark chocolate but DH and I found it weirdly sweet. Is it different in the slow cooker?

I make chilli regularly and I've never put chocolate in it. I just can't bring myself to, even if the recipe calls for it.

Yes. It really works.

Just put cocoa powder in mine. It's supposed to be dark chocolate.

I've seen it in recipes before. I just don't need to add even more sugar and chocolate to my diet so i skip it. I'm sure it enriches the flavour though.

I've tried it a couple of times and hate it

I use a bit sometimes but has to be dark chocolate - proper 70% or more - a little good cocoa powder adds the same richness without any sugar. 4 squares sounds like quite a lot for a normal size chilli though.

Yes, always amount depends on how much chili you make, DH puts a lot (80g) in but his chili does 15 portions.

Cocoa powder is better, you don't get any sweetness. Just a small amount, so that you can't really taste it as a separate flavour. Add it in with whatever ground spices you fry with the onion.

I put chocolate in every time and can tell the difference! It just brings out the flavours and makes the sauce a bit more creamy

No it's not necessary!

You can add some tomato paste to give a bit more depth.
You should be getting enough flavour from the spices, you don't need chocolate.

I put two squares ( largish flat squares like Lindt) but make huge amounts of chilli 10 portions at a time, I use 80% cocoa, don't put bourneville or similar in!

I put red wine in mine, no chocolate here!

I always put a square or two of (dark) chocolate or a teaspoon of cocoa in.

Oh and that's assuming you're making from scratch with herbs and spices, I wouldn't use a jar sauce, I use chilli powder, fresh chilli smoked dried chilli, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, garlic, onions, peppers, steak mince (or diced brisket for a really good slow cooked chilli), tomatoes, stock, seasoning, dark chocolate or cocoa , cook it long and low

Oh and kidney beans for the last half hour

I sometimes put chocolate in but only 80/85% dark choc so there’s no sweetness

And tomato paste....

Yes I always do, but only one block, 4 seems a lot.

It does make a difference in my opinion.

Cocoa powder is better. You get richness without the sweetness.

I do but really really dark stuff or cocoa powder.
DP swears by marmite which is nice to be fair, but does absolutely honk for about 10 minutes while you’re cooking it

If you put proper dark chocolate in it then it shouldn't be sweet. Not Bournville!

I use cocoa powder - two teaspoons.

It adds a real depth of flavour and richness - it doesn't make the chilli taste of chocolate!

It's very traditional in Mexican cooking to add cocoa/dark chocolate to savoury sauces like mole.

I ate this once and it was rank. I would advise against it!

I add wine, tomato puree, a bit of very dark chocolate and crucially a good heaped desert spoon of cinnamon.

I made a big pan once following a recipe I found online which included dark chocolate AND coffee.

It was bloody gorgeous but I never saved the recipe.