Everyone I know loves chocolate and that love usually started at an early age.
When you hand a little kid chocolate you can see their entire face lighting up, it’s like magic.
However, it doesn’t end with kids, a slab of chocolate means happiness to lots of adults too.
Chocolate is the perfect gift on any occasion.
It has the power to make you feel better and put a smile on anyone’s face.
Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, has loads of benefits and is packed with endorphins.
These endorphins help the brain release the “feel good” chemical, confirming that chocolate makes you feel lekker and brings on good moods.
So next time you’re not having a good day, treat yourself to some chocolate.
Chocolate is made from the cacao bean.
Production varies in the form of powder, liquid, paste or as a block.
This can be used to make the finest chocolate but it’s also strong enough to be used as a flavourant.
The healthiest form of chocolate is dark chocolate.
The darker the chocolate is, the higher the concentration of cocoa, and with it comes immense health benefits.
It’s very nutritious and has powerful antioxidants.
Every year on the 7 July we celebrate World Chocolate Day.
Chocolate goes well with just about anything.
Some prefer creamy milk chocolate, smooth and silky white chocolate or even dark chocolate.
Enjoy it as is, in a chocolate cake, in bread, puddings, on a sandwich, in cereals, to coat nuts or pretzels, drizzled over fruit, as a hot drink, milkshake or even as a sauce with chilli served over steak.
Here are some of my favourite chocolate recipes for you to enjoy.
Much Love, Your Cooksister
Recipes
Quick Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
250ml milk
2 tablespoon icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 x 400g slabs Dairy milk chocolate
(Roughly chopped in small pieces)
2 x 400g marshmallows
2 x 250ml fresh cream
(Whipped to soft peaks)
Method
On a stove top on a medium to low heat in a heavy based saucepan bring the butter, milk, icing sugar and cocoa to boil.
Add in the bits of chocolate and the marshmallows.
Stir continuously until it’s smooth and lump free.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Once it's completely cooled, fold in the chocolate mixture to the fresh cream.
Transfer to a glass bowl or mini dessert bowls or glasses and refrigerate overnight.
Sprinkles Specialty Smash Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
3 eggs (Separated)
2 cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cup self-raising flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb
½ cup warm water mixed with 1 heaped tsp strong coffee
Method
Boil your water and mix ½ cup water with your 1 tsp coffee. Allow to cool (water should be warm and not boiling hot)
Separate your eggs and whisk your egg whites until soft peaks, set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, oil and buttermilk until light and fluffy.
Add in your warm coffee and dry ingredients and mix until smooth and lump free.
Lastly fold in your egg whites and mix until smooth.
Bake in a large black oven tray lined with baking paper on 170degrees for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (you want a thin layer so you can cut and half it to be sandwiched once cooled)
Once your cake has cooled, half and spread your bottom layer with ½ tin Nestle caramel treat, followed by ½ cup whipped fresh cream.
Add your top layer, cover it with a thick ganache (I warmed 4 tablespoons fresh cream with 1 slab Dairy Milk chocolate in the microwave) and Sprinkle some grated milky bar.
The Perfect Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
1 tin dessert cream
2 x 400g dairy milk chocolate
Method
Roughly chop or break the chocolate into tiny pieces
In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate pieces and cover with the dessert cream.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove from the microwave and stir.
Return to the microwave for 30 seconds.
Remove from the microwave, cover with a glass plate and allow to melt for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and lump free.
Bar One Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the base
150g melted butter
2 boxes Oreo biscuits crushed
For the filling
300g milk chocolate (broken into pieces)
100g dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
500g mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
250ml fresh cream
¼ cup caramel treat
For the Ganache
2 large Bar one chocolates
¼ cup Nestle cream
Method
For the base
Crush the biscuits and mix it with the melted butter.
Press it flat in a round cheese cake tin or individual glasses.
Refrigerate for a ½ hour.
For the filling
Whisk your fresh cream until soft peaks, add in your caramel treat and whisk until smooth.
On a stove top melt the milk and dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, stir continuously until melted then allow to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone with an electric beater until smooth and lump free.
Add in your chocolate and whisk until smooth. Lastly fold in your whipped cream and caramel.
Spoon into a cheesecake tin or into individual dessert glasses.
Refrigerate overnight.
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
200g butter
200g slab dark chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup flour
100g walnuts or pecan nuts, roughly chopped
1 x 400g slab dairy milk for the topping
Method
Whisk you eggs and sugar in a glass bowl.
Over a medium heat melt your butter, cocoa and dark choc chunks.
Stir continuously until all ingredients are completely melted
Removed from heat and allow to cool for 3 minutes.
Add the melted chocolate to the eggs and sugar, stirring continuously.
Lastly fold in your flour and nuts with a spoon.
Transfer to a small rectangle baking dish, lined with baking paper and greased with butter.
Bake on 180degrees for 25 minutes-30minutes.
Once cooled, melt the dairy milk slab and spread over the Brownie.