Chocolate and citrus have always been a somewhat natural pairing. The tangy tasty notes of citrus often complement and diversify the bittersweet, smooth and creaminess characteristics of chocolate and especially dark chocolate in my opinion. Citrus fruit is dominant throughout the winter, prevalent in many forms from the sweet and succulent cuties to the bitter, crisp flesh of a grapefruit. Having inherited my mother's affinity for chocolate, I naturally tried to combine the two, citrus and chocolate. The following Instructable is the result. Follow along and enjoy! These little guys make a great snack you can keep in your fridge or a wonderful and quick snack to serve at a party or gathering.

Step 1: Ingredients

Gather the following:

Clementines, Cuties, or Mandarins (I used 5)
1/2 Cup of Dark Chocolate Chunks
2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt

Other Materials:

Cookie Sheet
Parchment Paper
Microwave Safe Bowl

Step 2: Peel

Start by peeling your clementines. I have found that it is easiest to start peeling by pinching the stem and pulling away from the fruit until the peel breaks. I know that others like to use a spoon to start peeling. Continue peeling until all of your clementines have been peeled. This will save you time and effort later, by having all of your clementine segments ready for dipping when your chocolate is melted and hot.

Step 3: Separate

Gently separate each of your segments from your 5 clementines. The next step takes a little bit of patience but it pays off in the end. Taking your time, remove all of the stringy bits from the outside and inside of the slices.

Step 4: Parchment Prep

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. This is where your chocolate covered slices will dry. Set it aside, but you'll have it ready for your slices after they have been freshly dipped.

Step 5: Chocolate

Place your 1/2 Cup of Dark Chocolate in your microwave safe bowl. Place in your microwave on high for one minute. If your chocolate has become warm enough that it has melted and you can stir it, stop. If it is still hard, microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until melted. You do not want to overheat your chocolate as it will lead to a grainy texture and burnt or toasty flavor to your chocolate instead of a smooth, homogenous chocolate to dip in.*

Stir to make sure that you have a uniform chocolate to dip your clementine slices into.

*If you are worried about overheating your chocolate, melt it using a double boiler instead which will allow for a gradual and even melting of your chocolate.

Step 6: Dip and Coat

Let your melted chocolate cool for 30 seconds before you begin to dip. Using your fingers, so that you don't puncture the gentle membrane of the clementine slice, dip each segment into your melted chocolate. You can dip the whole slice, or as I did for this Instructable, only dip half of the slice so that you get a nice color contrast. Lay your dipped slice on your parchment lined cookie sheet.

Step 7: Sea Salt

Sprinkle each slice with sea salt to add a little depth of flavor. The salt will contrast with the sugar in the chocolate and complement the sweet and tangy juice of the clementine.

Step 8: Cool

Allow your slices to cool on your cookie tray at room temperature for an hour or until your chocolate solidifies. If you need the chocolate to set sooner, you can cool it in your refrigerator for 10-20 minutes or until the chocolate sets.