Guatemala is considered the birthplace of chocolate – where cacao beans were called ‘the food of the gods’. And today, thousands of years after the Maya discovered the delights of these dark, rich beans, the rest of the world has become just as enamoured.
Sweet, rich, and luxurious, whether it’s sipping a creamy cup of hot chocolate, chewing on a warm, gooey brownie, or nibbling on a slice of silky chocolate cheesecake – chocolate feels like a treat. And though modern chocolate may taste different from the original cocoa beans, it’s still viewed as a food that’s about as heavenly as it gets.
So, to satisfy your sweet tooth, we’ve put together a list of eight indulgent chocolate recipes.
1. Chocolate macarons
Over the past few years, macarons have become one of the most popular sweet treats around – and it’s easy to see why.
Biting into the light, crisp outer shell to find a soft, chewy interior and silky smooth ganache filling is a truly divine experience. No wonder they’re considered the pinnacle of French patisserie recipes.
But because they have a reputation for being so difficult to make, many people prefer buying macarons instead of making them. While it’s true that macarons require concentration, if you follow the recipe carefully there’s no reason why you can’t make decadent homemade versions. There are many lovely macaron flavours, but chocolate is arguably the most indulgent.
The trick to making perfect macarons is first to thoroughly sift your ingredients, so that there are no larger pieces of almond flour. Then, whisk up room-temperature egg whites, and slowly fold in the almond flour and sugar until your batter is the perfect consistency.
Don’t be intimidated by this fancy treat – remember that even a failed batch will still taste delicious! If you’d like to have a go, why not try this recipe by House of Nash Eats?
2. Chocolate torte
If you’re gluten-free but also a chocoholic, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with chocolate torte.
The difference between torte and cake is flour – and a torte doesn’t contain any. If you’ve never made chocolate torte before, this might just become your new favourite dessert!
Because it doesn’t contain any flour, chocolate torte has an incredibly rich flavour and dense, fudgy texture, which almost makes it feel more of a dessert than a cake. Some say the texture is even better the next day, when the centre becomes wonderfully gooey – so it’s a great recipe to make in advance too.
Despite how decadent they taste, tortes are easy to make and can contain as few as three ingredients: chocolate, butter, and eggs. Though most contain a few additional ingredients, like cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.
Have a read of this chocolate torte guide by The Guardian to see how to make the ultimate torte.
3. Chocolate and passion fruit cheesecake
Cheesecake is one of those desserts that’s almost universally liked – and it’s also incredibly adaptable.
While it may have cheese in the title, it’s really easy to make dairy-free versions, as well as gluten-free. Plus, many of the best recipes are also no-bake, which means you just knock up your cake and leave it in the fridge to set.
While chocolate cheesecake is delicious enough, if you want to make things even more irresistible – and a little bit more sophisticated – why not make a chocolate and passion fruit cheesecake? Though the two ingredients may not seem like the most obvious pairing, the hint of fresh, sharp passion fruit bursting through each bite perfectly complements the rich, dark chocolate.
It’s also simple to prepare: just whizz up some oreo cookies with butter, then tip into a springform tin to make a base. While it’s chiling, make your passion fruit coulis by cooking passion fruit, sugar, and butter – then melt some chocolate on the hob before mixing with chocolate and soft cheese. To make it vegan, simply swap in plant-based butter and vegan cream cheese!
To have a go yourself, check out this dark chocolate and passionfruit cheesecake recipe by Olive Magazine.
4. Chocolate cheesecake trifle
If you’re looking for a rich and creamy no-bake dessert – with the option of being spiked with booze – look no further than these chocolate cheesecake trifles.
Fans of regular trifles will already be familiar with the pleasure of digging through layers of whipped cream, sweet fruit, and sponge fingers. But a chocolate version is even more indulgent.
Making mini versions of these trifles are perfect for serving at dinner parties, or to enjoy by yourself if you fancy a chocolatey dessert but don’t want to be tempted to go back for seconds! Layered with fluffy whipped cream, crunchy crumbles of oreo cookies, and a silky chocolate cream cheese filling, every mouthful of chocolate cheesecake trifle is a joy.
For a special treat, why not add some Baileys Irish cream to your dessert? The cream cheese filling and chocolate whipped cream topping mixed with Baileys adds a gorgeous depth of flavour to this dessert. Plus, even though they look elaborate, chocolate cheesecake trifles are super simple to make.
Check out this mini Baileys chocolate cheesecake trifle recipe by Life Love and Sugar.
5. Chocolate peanut butter caramel tart
Chocolate and peanut butter go together like strawberries and cream. But when you add caramel into the mix, things become even more delicious – as fans of Snickers bars will well know!
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert that tastes as good as it looks and isn’t tricky to make, this recipe might be the one for you.
Combining flaky pastry with layers of rich dark chocolate ganache and salted peanut caramel topped with chopped roasted peanuts, every bite of this tart is an experience. Sticky caramel, crunchy peanuts, and a smooth chocolate filling can be a real mood booster. Plus, this is the perfect dinner party dessert, but also a lovely afternoon treat with a cup of tea.
If you like the sound of this tart but are allergic to peanuts, simply swap them out for almonds and almond butter – it’ll be just as tasty. Why not try this recipe from The Guardian? Or, if you’re vegan, try this excellent plant-based recipe from Lazy Cat Kitchen.
6. Affogato chocolate mousse
If you’re a coffee lover with a sweet tooth, there’s a good chance you’re a fan of tiramisu. But there’s another Italian coffee-based dessert that’s just as inviting and goes beautifully with chocolate.
While it might not be quite as well known as tiramisu, affogato is just as delicious in its simplicity.
The name affogato literally translates as ‘drowned’, which is a pretty accurate description of this dessert. Scoops of ice cream are drenched with hot espresso, creating a tantalising hot-yet-cold, sweet-yet-bitter concoction. However, if you love chocolate desserts, an affogato chocolate mousse might be more up your street.
Though it sounds fancy and makes the perfect sophisticated dessert for a dinner party, affogato chocolate mousse is surprisingly quick and easy to whip up and can be made in advance.
Rich, smooth, and luxurious, this espresso-infused chocolate mousse is the ideal end to a meal. Try this affogato chocolate mousse recipe by Foodie Mail to taste it yourself.
7. Chocolate lava cake
There are chocolate cakes…and then there are chocolate lava cakes.
Also known as molten chocolate cakes, these sweet treats are considered one of the most indulgent desserts around; there’s a reason why they’re a staple on Valentine’s Day menus! But if you think you can only enjoy these delectable desserts in fancy restaurants, think again!
Soft and fluffy on the outside yet gorgeously gooey and fudgy on the inside, sinking your spoon into one of these molten cakes releases a rich river of warm, flowing dark chocolate. While it’s seriously impressive (not to mention incredibly moreish!) this luxurious dessert is pretty simple to make and can be whipped up in under half an hour.
The trick is to use good quality chocolate, as it really does make a difference.
Because these intentionally undercooked cakes are so rich and squidgy, they’re a treat enough by themselves, but adding a handful of raspberries when you serve them can also add a welcome hint of tartness. And of course, a scoop of ice cream never goes amiss!
To make chocolate lava cake, check out this recipe by Preppy Kitchen.
8. Triple chocolate cookies
There’s nothing more disappointing than biting into what you hope will be a chewy chocolate cookie, only to find it’s a dry, crumbly mess.
So, if you want to make your own batch of tasty cookies, why not go all out and make triple chocolate cookies? Filled with chunks of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate, they’re a chocoholic’s dream.
Perfect chocolate chip cookies should be crispy on the outside yet chewy, gooey, and fudgy on the inside.
If three different types of chocolate isn’t enough for you, this recipe also contains cocoa powder, so every mouthful is pure, unadulterated chocolate heaven. And if that weren’t reason enough to make them, they can be ready in just over 20 minutes!
While you can use white, milk, and dark chocolate chips, if you want your cookies to contain even more chocolate, you might want to buy some bars of each type of chocolate and break them up into larger chunks.
While many recipes use an egg, you can easily make your cookies vegan by using an egg replacer or aquafaba (chickpea water), and dairy-free chocolate. Try this recipe from Jane’s Patisserie if you’d like to make your own triple chocolate cookies.
Final thoughts…
Whether you’re looking to make a show-stopping dessert to end a special dinner, a thoughtful culinary gift for a chocolate-mad friend, or a chocolatey treat you can enjoy yourself, we hope these eight recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth.
From sophisticated chocolate and passionfruit cheesecakes and impressive chocolate macarons, to simple yet rich desserts like chocolate torte and chocolate lava cake, we hope there’s a recipe here that whets your appetite!
For more baking and dessert recipe inspiration, head over to the food and drink section of our website.