Chocolate & Brie Panini

If you've been reading my blog, you know I love the combination of Bread & Chocolate, but I recently stumbled on Giada de Laurentiis's recipe for a Chocolate & Brie Panini.

Yum Sugar, one of my favorite food sites, modified this recipe, and I totally agree. Less chocolate is better as in the recipe below, so the chocolate doesn't overpower the cheese. As in all of the recipes, I recommend using the very best of all products. It really makes a difference--from the olive oil to the bread to the brie and chocolate.

A few other possibilities: try using ciabatta instead of sourdough. Don't have a panini press? You can make this as you would a grilled cheese sandwich. In a dorm? Try your iron as the press (you will need to clean it afterwards).

12 slices sourdough bread (try ciabatta if you want a change)*
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
10 ounces dark chocolate squares, chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

Preheat the panini grill.
Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread slices until they begin to turn golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the panini grill and place 2 ounces of cheese on 1 slice of bread (the bottom half), top the cheese with 1/4 cup chocolate chips, and a few leaves of basil. Top with another slice of bread. Continue with the remaining sandwiches.
Return the sandwiches to the panini grill until the chocolate begins to melt, about another 2 minutes.
Cut the sandwiches into 2-inch wide rectangles or small triangles and transfer to a serving platter.

photo: Food Network