Our 10 best chocolate recipes | Food (2024)

These are the cookies that appeared in the July 9, 2008 edition of the New York Times: the very same cookies that set off an explosion of baking across the globe to see if, indeed, they are the perfect specimen. The consensus is: yes, they are.

Makes 18
240g plain flour
240g strong white flour
1¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp salt
280g unsalted butter, at room temperature
285g light brown sugar
225g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
565g dark chocolate discs (at least 60% cacao content)
Sea salt

1 Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

3 Stir in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until combined – just 5 to 10 seconds. Drop the chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Wrap clingfilm around the dough and refrigerate for 24-36 hours (the closer to 36 the better.) The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

4 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

5 Scoop six mounds of dough, the size of generous golf balls, on to the baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up: it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft – 18-20 minutes. You’ll know the cookies are done when the tops have the caramel folds of a Shar Pei. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip the cookies on to another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with the remaining dough, or reserve doughit, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm.
David Leite, LCcooks.com

Prague cake

A deeply, darkly, densely chocolatey affair, this take on the Austrian sachertorte should be enjoyed in generous wedges with a large glass of milk.

Serves 10
5 medium eggs, cold
150g sugar
80g butter, melted but cooled a little
30g cocoa
170g flour
70ml Tia Maria

For the ganache
200g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
60g butter

1 Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer until very foamy. Pour the butter in and then gently fold in the flour with a spatula.

2 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and prepare a 24cm tin with a removable base by buttering it or lining it with baking parchment. Pour the batter gently into the tin and bake for 25 minutes. Test it by gently touching the top – if it springs right back, it’s done. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven to cool, with the door open.

3 When cool, slice the cake horizontally into two discs and drizzle both discs with the Tia Maria.

5 Beat the butter with an electric mixer and, when it starts to foam, trickle in the condensed milk. Then gently fold in the cooled yolk mixture.

6 To make the ganache, pop the chocolate and butter into a glass bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Do not disturb it too much or it will go grainy. Let it melt slowly, then give it a gentle stir once it looks almost melted.

7 Meanwhile, spread the condensed milk cream inbetween the sponge and then spread the chocolate ganache on top and down the sides of the cake.
Olia Hercules, oliahercules.com

Chocolate madeleines with a fudgy chocolate dip

Madeleines are delightful little tea cakes, best served fresh and warm from the oven. The double chocolate here makes for a special kind of teatime treat. To achieve the desired lightness, don’t overwork the batter.

For the fudgy chocolate dip
200ml double cream
3 tbsp dulce de leche
200g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped

1 Gently melt the butter. Use 1 tbsp to generously butter a 12-cup madeleine tin, then put the tin in the fridge.

2 Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

4 Divide the batter between the 12 madeleine holes. Bake for 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Turn out on to a wire rack upside down and leave to cool while you make the dipping sauce.

5 Heat the double cream and dulce de leche until just simmering and well combined. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the top. Leave for a minute then whisk until well blended.

6 Serve while the madeleines and the dip are warm. Any leftover sauce will be delicious on vanilla ice-cream.
Valérie Berry, valerieberry.com

Bitter chocolate, sea salt and extra-virgin olive oil ganacha with crostini

A big bowl of seriously bitter molten chocolate with crisp, salty olive-oil toasts for dippers … an extravagance of bold flavours that will definitively banish any naff chocolate fondue experience you may have had. Use a nice fruity olive oil if you can – it works wonders.

1 Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water and remove from the heat. Whisk the cream to form soft peaks.

2 Next make a sugar syrup by putting the sugar in a small saucepan with a splash of water and boiling it over a high heat until the sugar dissolves.

3 Put the yolks and eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk rapidly, gradually pouring in the sugar syrup (an electric whisk is good for this). The eggs should be light, fluffy and airy. Fold this mix into the chocolate and then fold in the whipped cream. Finally stir in the sea salt and the olive oil and rest the mixture, covered, in a cool area – but not the fridge.

4 Slice the ciabatta into thin rounds and then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and grill until lightly browned and crisp.

5 Serve the ganache at room temperature drizzled with more olive oil and sprinkled with extra salt for crunch alongside the warm crostini.
Ben Tish, saltyard.co.uk

Rusty Road

Honeycomb, cranberries and peanuts embedded in thick dark chocolate ganache – a perfect homemade chunk of fruit and nut.

For the honeycomb
200g white sugar
50g honey
A splash of water
10g bicarbonate of soda

2 Add the bicarbonate of soda. Whisk a couple of times then quickly (but carefully) pour and spread it out on to a lined baking sheet using a silicone spatula. Set aside to cool completely. This makes more than the 150g you need – store the rest in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

3 For the rusty road, put the dark chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Put the double cream in a pan and bring to a boil. Then pour this over the chocolate and mix well, until the chocolate is melted and fully incorporated into the cream. Set aside until near room temperature. Meanwhile, break 150g of the honeycomb into 1-2cm chunks.

4 Once the ganache has come down in temperature throw in all the other ingredients and fold well so that everything gets coated well. Pour into an medium-size, square, lined tray and put in the fridge until cool.

5 Once cool slice into 16 chunks or bites.
Alex Bluett, friskafood.com

Dark chocolate and prune tart with hazelnut pastry

This tart is worth every smidgen of the high percentage cocoa solids that go into it. Crisp nutty pastry, a moussey bitter-chocolate middle and dark chewy prunes.

Makes 1 large tart
100g ground hazelnuts
200g plain flour
A pinch of salt
225g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
60ml ice-cold water

1 For the pastry, whizz together the hazelnuts, flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and whizz again until you have a coarse knobbly texture. Sprinkle over the ice-cold water and pulse again until the dough comes together. The dough should not be too wet but if it seems too dry, add another tablespoon or two of water. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 Stand for 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling out to a 3mm thick disc using it to line a 28cm flan tin. Prick the base and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line the pastry shell with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans and blind bake for 20 minutes, before removing beads and greaseproof paper and baking it for another 10 minutes.

4 For the filling, put the cream, chocolate, butter and sugar in a heatproof bowl balanced over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and silky.

5 In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add a quarter of the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add the remaining chocolate and stir gently until well mixed.

6 Reduce the oven temperature to 150C/300F/ gas mark 2. Scatter the prunes over the tart base and pop on the oven shelf. Pour the chocolate mixture over and bake for 25 minutes – the tart should be just set.

7 Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with cream if desired.
Ravinder Bhogal

Chocolate peanut milkshake

A drinkable demonstration of how a whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. This works brilliantly with nut or grain milks too.

1 Put the melted chocolate, peanut butter, maple syrup and milk into a blender and mix until completely smooth. Add a couple of scoops of ice-cream to 4 tall glasses and pour the chocolate milkshake over. Serve immediately with a spoon and a straw.
Rosie Reynolds, rosiereynolds.co.uk

Chocolate and hazelnut spread

Homemade Nutella: what’s not to like? Best enjoyed on warm, buttered toast first thing in the morning, or by itself with a spoon late at night.

Makes 2 340g jars
400ml double cream
½ vanilla pod, split in half down the middle
4 tbsp runny honey
100g blanched hazelnuts
4 tbsp water
200g dark chocolate
50g unsalted butter
A pinch of salt

1 Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. n a small pan, gently warm the double cream, vanilla and honey over a low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Line a baking tray with baking parchment and roast the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. When they are ready, remove to cool. Switch the oven off. Now is a good opportunity to put the jam jars and lids in the oven to sterilise.

3 Put the chocolate pieces in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Stir until smooth. Add the butter and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Stir to mix fully. Remove from the heat.

4 Once the hazelnuts have cooled, transfer to a food processor and blend into a smooth paste. For people who prefer crunch, blend to your desired texture, but you will have to mix the rest of the ingredients by hand or with a mixing attachment on your food processor.

5 Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or food processor and blend or mix until completely smooth. While the mixture is warm, it will resemble a thick fudge sauce, but will eventually cool to a spread consistency.

6 Pour into jars, secure the lids firmly and allow to cool. Store in a dark, cool place.
Concepta Cassar, purepabulum.wordpress.com

This is perfect served with anything sharp – roasted rhubarb, early raspberries or strawberries – or sprinkled over a panna cotta, or even just stirred through yoghurt.

200g white chocolate, broken into small chunks

1 Set the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Scatter the chocolate chunks on a nonstick baking sheet in the oven. As the chocolate roasts, it will first melt, then begin to separate, then go gravelly. It looks quite bizarre, but don’t worry – just keep gently stirring it every 6-8 minutes until it is a nice, deep golden caramel colour (about 15-20 minutes).

2 Remove from the oven and allow to cool. It will have the texture of firm crumble.
Nicholas Balfe, salonbrixton.co.uk

Whisky chocolate pots

These might seem small, but they are perfectly formed and a little goes a long way here. Try replacing the whisky with dark rum, amaretto, or any other liqueur that marries well with chocolate.

Serves 2
140ml double cream
60g dark chocolate
A pinch of salt
3 tbsp whisky
Zest of 1 orange

1 Pour the cream into a small pan and heat gently. Meanwhile, break the chocolate into pieces (whacking it, still tightly wrapped, against the kitchen counter generally does the trick).

2 When the cream begins to simmer, remove it from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until melted. When the mixture is smooth, stir in a pinch of salt and the whisky.

3 Divide the mixture between two ramekins, and chill for at least 2 hours, until set. Top with orange zest.
Felicity Cloake, Perfect Host (Penguin/Fig Tree)