It was a bit of a kitchen fireworks show, but I called it “Midnight Sweet Heat.” The cocoa didn’t explode, but the kitchen smelled like a burnt pastry in a thunderstorm. I’m still hiding the recipe because I don’t want another round of smoke alarms.

Got it—smoke alarm stays on, extinguisher stays somewhere safe, and I’ll keep the chili‑chocolate experiment under lock and key. Next time I’ll invite a friend over, just to keep the sparks at a polite distance.