Hold Your Own Cruise Style Chocolate Night

When my husband, his parents, and I took a cruise to Alaska together, one of the most memorable things for all of us was the amazing chocolate night! We were so overwhelmed with all the different creations and had so much fun. For Christmas that year I thought, why not re-create that great night at home. It took a little work, but it was a hit with the whole family!

When planning a chocolate night, make sure to create a list of your favorite chocolate dishes and treats. I would suggest separating everything into 2 lists, things that need to be done in advance and things that can be done right before the party. For example, the first time I held a chocolate night party I made chocolate covered cherries and ice cream bon bons from scratch. I thought they would be easy, but it they were both a long process. Make sure you have a couple days before the party to make everything you want and leave time to redo something if they don't turn out right.

The first time I did the chocolate night I made just about EVERYTHING chocolate! I learned that it was sweet overload! You really need something salty to balance out the flavors. Pretzels are a great choice because you can leave some plain and dip some in chocolate.

One thing that is a must for adults is good champaign in a glass with a rim dipped in chocolate. To make it even better add a fresh strawberry on top. Depending on your taste, I love putting the strawberry in the champaign!

Some of the tips I would give is to keep it simple and make sure you have a good balance of flavors. Ice cream items are not that great because they melt fast and can't just be left out for the whole night. Finger foods are the best choice because you don't have to tend to them and can enjoy the night just as much as everyone else.