Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

Thinking of a gift to make for my dear Stumpf family, I came across this recipe for Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar and gave it a try. It reminded me of the time I made Fig Bread Pudding with Balsamic Drizzle, and how good the balsamic was paired with the sweetness of the bread pudding. Next time, I will try drizzling chocolate balsamic on the bread pudding instead. Yum. But, for those of you who wonder what else this could go on, try some fruit. Or ice cream. Its meant to be paired with something sweet, not to go into a salad.

This recipe makes about 16 ounces of chocolate balsamic

2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Reduce the vinegar by half (from 2 cups to 1 cup) over low heat. This will take approximately 20 minutes, stirring often. The vinegar will thicken and coat its pan. Set aside to cool once reduced. *If you start with a better balsamic vinegar, you can skip this step and simply use 1 cup of balsamic straight from the bottle*

Next, dissolve sugar and salt into water. Bring to a boil in a small sauce pan.

Reduce the heat to low and add cocoa, stirring until all is incorporated and you start yo create a syrup. Add the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Once completely cooled, mix the vinegar and chocolate syrup thoroughly. Put it in your desired glass container. This can be stored, sealed, in a cabinet at room temperature.