The Unusual Ingredient In Giada De Laurentiis' Chocolate 'Pop' Tarts

When you think of Giada De Laurentiis' recipes, her pasta dishes might come to mind. After all, we do know her best for her Italian cooking. She has plenty of tips for the best pasta possible, and sometimes, this means using more unusual ingredients. For example, one of De Laurentiis' recipes uses carrots to sweeten her pasta sauce.

But that might not be the most surprising ingredient De Laurentiis uses in her cooking. For her Raspberry-Cherry Chocolate "Pop" Tarts, she sprinkles on Pop Rocks candy, and we can only imagine the explosion of flavor in your mouth (via Giadzy). 

These aren't like the Pop-Tarts you'll find in stores, with fruit fillings or sweet glaze toppings. Instead, according to the recipe on De Laurentiis' website, you should mix chocolate and hot heavy cream, sprinkle Pop Rocks on top, then put the mixture in the fridge. She even says that gold stars can be used to decorate the top! Think of it more like a chocolate truffle, but with a special kick.

There's a lot you might not know about Pop Rocks, and now you might be wondering if there are any other ways you might be able to jazz up some dessert with a sprinkle of this fizzy candy. What might be even more surprising than De Laurentiis' special ingredient is that there are actually plenty of chefs who have experimented with Pop Rocks. Food Republic did a round-up of 30 chefs who are using Pop Rocks in their kitchens.

If you love Pop Rocks or just want to make your own unique dessert, it's easy to incorporate the candy into your dishes. Essentially, all you need to do is add a handful of the candy to whatever you're cooking or baking — no extra prep required. Need inspiration? Brit + Co has a list of suggestions on how to use Pop Rocks in your cooking, like adding it to popcorn or even into your champagne. Whether you're adding Pop Rocks to your drinks or dessert, it's sure to bring an extra bit of liveliness to any party.