Chocolate Cigars

Place the chocolate and caramels in a metal bowl over boiling water (or in a double boiler) and heat until melted, stirring continually. Remove from the stove and allow to cool. (I used an ice bath to cool it and then threw it into the fridge to harden it a little more but I was still able to mix the chocolate.)

Line a baking tray with wax paper. Using a tablespoon and a knife, place a large blob of chocolate caramel mixture onto the wax paper and form it into a 4-inch cylinder. Once all the chocolate has been used, place the tray in the fridge so the chocolate can harden.

Next, place a sheet of fillo pastry onto a floured work surface and brush it with the melted butter. Place another sheet on top of the first and brush that one with butter. Repeat another time. Cut the pastry into thirds along the width. Cover the unused phyllo pastry between uses so it doesn’t dry.

Place 1 chocolate cylinder onto the long edge of one of the pastry thirds. Tucking, folding and brushing with butter, roll the cylinder up inside of the pastry to form the cigar (see website for visuals). Finally, brush the edges with butter to seal the cigar. Place cigar on the wax-lined baking tray. Repeat with the remaining chocolate cylinders and phyllo pastry.

Brush the tops of the cigars with an egg wash and bake in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove and serve while still warm with vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce.

If you have leftovers, cut the still warm cigars into 1 inch blocks and dust with icing sugar. Serve at room temperature with a little chocolate dipping sauce.