National Chocolate Covered Insect Day

Today is National Chocolate Covered and I know most of you are probably looking thinking that's gross, disgusting, or how could anybody really eat insects. Well there are people out there that actually eat this as a delicacy around the world.

Chocolate Covered Insect Recipes

Chocolate Covered Ants

Ingredients:

100 Black Ants (avoid red ants, too spicy)
1 Vanilla Bean split and seeds scraped out
2 Egg Yolks
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tsp. Butter, melted
12 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate

Directions:

Using a medium size pot as a double boiler, heat two cups of water and place a bowl over it. Add chocolate and turn heat to low, heat until chocolate is melted. Remove chocolate from heat and stir. In another mixing bowl, add vanilla seeds and egg yolks, beat until smooth, add sugar and whisk over medium heat until mixture reaches 160° F, remove from heat and fold in butter, let cool, then fold in Ants carefully. Take care NOT to smash them. They stay more flavorful and retain extra moisture if intact.
Note: The chocolate should never be heated over 100° F.
Use a digital thermometer to check chocolate. Carefully fold the egg mixture into the chocolate. Use a teaspoon to scoop and immediately place a half teaspoon mixture onto wax paper or place in chocolate molds. Refrigerate to harden. These tasty shapes can not be redipped and coated with nuts, powdered sugar or drizzled with white chocolate.
The chocolate covered ants can be refrigerated up to three weeks. The chocolate helps to preserve their freshness.

Chocolate Cover Gummy Worms
(Thinking of the kids)

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 Cup Chocolate
Sour or Regular Gummy Worms

Directions:
Combine the melted butter with 1/2 cup chocolate in a small bowl. If mixture is too thin add some more chocolate to thicken it. Place chocolate and butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Check mixture, if chocolate is melted, start mixing. If not microwave in 10 second intervals. DO NOT OVERHEAT. It will make chocolate clumpy.
Dip worms in to chocolate with a toothpick and lay them on wax paper. Refrigerate to harden. After an hour or hour and thirty minutes you may enjoy.