Food / 20 October, 2022 / My Baba

12 Incredibly Tempting Recipes To Celebrate National Chocolate Week

The 17-23rd October marks the very important occasion that is National Chocolate Week. As huge sweet-toothed chocolate lovers we understand the importance of having the very best recipes to hand – so we’ve painstakingly searched the net to find the most delicious, the most luxurious, and the most naughty chocolate recipes to celebrate. You’re worth it.

The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe (Ever)

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
• For the cake:
• Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
• Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
• Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
• Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake

Ingredients: 

For the Cake:

• 225 g Butter or Margarine (8oz)
• 225 g Caster Sugar (8 oz)
• Medium Eggs x 4
• 175 g Self-Raising Flour (6 oz) Sieved
• 50 g Cocoa Powder (2 oz)

For the Icing:

• 75 g Unsalted Butter (3 oz)
• 175 g Icing Sugar (6 oz) plus extra to dust
• 45 g Cocoa Powder (3 tbsp)
• about 10 ml Milk or warm water

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and if the mixture starts to curdle, add a little flour.
• Fold in the remaining flour and the cocoa powder with a metal spoon.
• Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for approx. 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack.
• To make the butter icing, place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar and then add enough milk / water to make the icing fluffy and spreadable. Sift and beat the cocoa powder in to the icing and use it to sandwich the two sponges together.
• Dust the top of the cake lightly with the sieved icing sugar.

Honestly Healthy Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Number of servings: 10

Ingredients

•  100g (31/2 oz/generous3/4 cup) coconut flour
• 50g (2oz/1/2cup)raw cacao powder, plus 1/2 tsp for dusting
• 500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) hemp rice or almond milk
• 120g (4oz/1/2cup) vegan butter, plus extra for greasing
• 130g yacon/agave syrup
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 4 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C
2. Sift the coconut flour and cacao powder into a bowl
3. Place the milk, vegan butter, syrup, almond butter and vanilla extract into a blender and whizz for about 1 minute until well blended (the mixture may be a little frothy on top). Gently fold the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until combined. The mixture will have quite a thick consistency.
4. Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased springform cake tin (use a large, shallow tin for a thin, torte-like cake or a smaller deeper tin for a thicker cake) and line the base with grease proof paper.
5. Bake for 20-40 minutes, depending on the thickness. The thicker the cake, the longer it will need – check it after 20 minutes by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, then it is cooked. If you like something a little more gooey then hold your nerve and take it out when there is just a little residue on the skewer. It will continue to set as it cools.
6. Leave it to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm or cold, lightly dusted with cacao powder and a dollop of ice cream or cashew cream (recipe on the site).

Gothic Black Velvet Halloween Cake

The Vanilla Bean Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350. Butter two 8 inch round cake pans (make sure cake pans are at least 2 inches tall). Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans (if you need a visual on this step, here is a You Tube video that is helpful.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely, removing parchment paper.
• Place one layer, flat side up, on a plate. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

• 6 oz good semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 pound [2 sticks] unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Method:

• Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the powdered sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
• On low speed, add the chocolate to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Chocolate fondant

Ingredients

• 50g melted butter, for brushing
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 200g butter, in small pieces
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs and 4 yolks
• 200g plain flour
• Caramel sauce (see ‘Goes well with’) and vanilla ice cream or orange sorbet, to serve

Method

1. First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter (use 50g in total) all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.
2. Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt 200g good-quality dark chocolate and 200g butter, both chopped into small pieces, together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.
3. In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g golden caster sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.
4. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
5. Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.
6. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.
7. Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.
8. Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce – do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.
9. Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a ‘quenelle’ of ice cream.
10. Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

Frozen chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake

Ingredients

• full-fat soft cheese 200g
• vanilla extract 1 tsp
• eggs 2 large, separated
• Nutella 125g
• golden caster sugar 100g
• whipping cream 300ml pot
• hazelnuts 75g, roasted and roughly chopped
• single cream to serve (optional)

Cheesecake Base

1. bourbon biscuits 250g
2. salted butter 75g, melted

Method

1. Line a 900g loaf tin with clingfilm (oiling the tin lightly first helps it to stick). Put the soft cheese, vanilla, egg yolks from the separated eggs, Nutella and 50g of the sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk using electric beaters until smooth. Clean the whisks and, in another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the remaining 50g of sugar, beat until glossy and thick, and then fold into the soft-cheese mixture. Finally, whisk the whipping cream until thick, then fold this in, too.
2. Tip the hazelnuts into the base of the tin and spread evenly. Scrape the cheesecake filling on top, spread to flatten the top, then freeze for 3 hours until almost solid.

Chocolate coins

Ingredients

• 300 g white, milk or dark (70%) chocolate
• optional: edible gold or silver leaves, spray or glitter dust , to decorate

Flavouring Ideas

• pistachios & honey
• dried cranberries and clementine zest
• freeze-dried raspberries and black pepper
• flaked sea salt
• roasted peanuts and honeycomb
• chilli and lime zest
• stem ginger and clementine zest

Method

1. Quarter-fill a medium saucepan with water and place over a medium heat.
2. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set it over the pan, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir constantly, until the chocolate has melted.
3. Spoon the chocolate into a jug and pour a layer, about 3mm deep, into each hole of a cupcake tray.
4. If using added flavours, finely chop and sprinkle them over the top.
5. Pop the tin in the fridge for 4 hours for the chocolate to set.
6. Remove the tray and bang the underside to let the coins fall out.
7. Decorate with edible gold or silver leaves or spray with edible glitter dust or simply leave them as they are.

Chocolate brownies with figs & pecans – gluten free

Ingredients

• 200g plain chocolate 70%, melted
• 200g unsalted butter , melted
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 150g rice flour
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 3 large eggs , beaten
• 100g dried figs , sliced
• 50g pecan, halved

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°f, gas mark 3, 170°C.
2. Line a 9 inch (24cm) square baking tin with baking parchment.
3. In a medium sized saucepan, over a gentle heat melt the butter and chocolate together, when melted remove from the heat to cool.
4. When the chocolate mixture is cooled add the vanilla bean paste, sugar, salt and rice flour.
5. In a separate bowl lightly beat the effs, then add to the chocolate mixture.
6. Mix well until combined.
7. Scatter the pecans and dried figs amongst the base of the tin.
8. Pour the mixture over the pecans and figs and bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes until the brownie has set.
9. Leave to cool completely in the tin then cut into pieces and serve. Enjoy.

Triple chocolate celebration cake

Ingredients

• butter, for greasing
• 4 eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp brandy or chocolate liqueur
• chocolate vermicelli, to decorate

For the chocolate mousse filling

• 300g (10oz) dark chocolate (about 60 per cent cocoa solids)
• 2 gelatine leaves
• 450ml (3/4pt) double cream
• 100g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 2 pasteurised egg whites, or 2 tbsp liquid egg white from the chiller cabinet

Method

1. Grease and line 2 x 18cm (7in) sandwich tins and 1 x 18cm (7in) deep springform cake tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.
2. Next, prepare the mousse filling. Melt the chocolate in a heatbowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Meanwhile soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water for 10 minutes.
3. Heat 300ml (½pt) of the cream to just below boiling point. Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeeze them dry, then add to the hot cream, stirring in until dissolved. Whisk into the melted chocolate until smooth. Add the butter, a little at a time, and beat in until smooth. Leave to cool at room temperature while you make the sponges.
4. Put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until you have a thick, mousse-like consistency that holds a trail when the whisk is lifted.
5. Sift the flour and cocoa powder over the egg mixture. Then fold gently with a large metal spoon, trying not to knock out the air. Divide between the sandwich tins and bake for 12-14 minutes, until just firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then turn the cakes onto a wire rack, peel off the baking paper and leave to cool completely.
6. To make the chocolate cream pour 150ml (¼pt) of the mousse mixture into a bowl, add the remaining 150ml (¼pt) double cream, and whisk until it forms soft peaks. Chill in the fridge.
7. Whisk the pasteurised egg whites to form stiff peaks, then fold into the remaining chocolate mousse. Chill for 20-30 minutes in the fridge, until thickened but not set.
8. To assemble the cake, place one sponge into the springform tin. Drizzle with 1 tbsp brandy or liqueur. Whisk the egg-mousse mixture until thick then spread half over the sponge. Top with another sponge, drizzle 1 tbsp brandy or liqueur, spoon over the rest of the mousse and top with the last sponge, drizzling with the remaining brandy or liqueur. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
9. Remove the cake tin and peel away the baking paper. Spread chocolate cream around the sides of the cake then press chocolate vermicelli around the base. Spread the remaining chocolate on top. Use some piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle to pipe rosettes, if you like.

Marbled chocolate ‘puddles’ recipe

Ingredients

• 400g milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 100g Tesco Finest Swiss 85% dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 100g white chocolate, finely chopped

Method

1. Put each chocolate in a separate heatproof bowl. Place each over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowls, and heat until the chocolates are melted.
2. Line 3-4 large trays with nonstick baking paper. Spoon 2 tsp milk chocolate onto one corner of a tray to create a ‘puddle’ shape about 5cm wide. Repeat to fill the tray. Using a teaspoon, drop a little dark chocolate then a little white chocolate onto the puddles. Use a skewer or the tip of a small knife to gently swirl the chocolates together so that they marble but don’t completely combine. Repeat with the remaining chocolate. Tap the trays very lightly on a work surface to dislodge any bubbles.
3. Leave to set in a cool place (but not in the fridge as this will cause the chocolate to ‘bloom’) for 1-2 hrs. Once solid, store in airtight containers in a cool place (but not in the fridge) for up to 1 week.

Milk tray bake

Ingredients

• 1 piece Milk Tray box
• 1 piece Chocolate Cake Mix
• 3 pieces eggs

Methods

1. Measure chocolate cake ingredients
2. Bake half the mix then top with Milk Tray chocs
3. Pour in remaining mix, cover with foil and bake
4. Slice and enjoy!

Chocolate crunch bars

Ingredients

• 100g butter, roughly chopped
• 300g dark chocolate (such as Bournville), broken into squares
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 140g rich tea biscuit, roughly crushed
• 12 pink marshmallows, quartered (use scissors)
• 2 x 55g bars Turkish delight, halved and sliced (or use Maltesers, Milky Way or Crunchie bars)

Method

1. Gently melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a pan over a low heat, stirring frequently until smooth, then cool for about 10 mins.
2. Stir the biscuits and sweets into the pan until well mixed, then pour into a 17cm square tin lined with foil and spread the mixture to roughly level it. Chill until hard, then cut into fingers.

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