Who doesn’t love chocolate? Whether as a gift or for your own enjoyment, chocolate is surely one of the best ways to brighten up anyone’s day!
Ah, chocolate—whether hard or soft, solid or liquid, or hot or cold, this is surely a type of food that almost everyone loves. Whether in cake, pudding, mousse, cookies, or even simply in bar form, chocolate is omnipresent in today’s world. And while the omnipresence of chocolate is relatively recent, it’s been around for much longer. Evidence of human beings enjoying chocolate goes back nearly 4,000 years. Back then, the indigenous people of Mexico were using chocolate to make beverages—sounds like they sure were living it up!
Further evidence of chocolate consumption has been found throughout various Meso-American dynasties, such as the Aztecs and Mayans. But it was only after the colonial period began in the early 16th century that Europeans started enjoying the cocoa-based delight. It was probably Christopher Columbus himself who was the first European to encounter chocolate, and he subsequently brought it back to Spain. And after it was introduced to the Spanish royal court, chocolate quickly became a hit throughout Europe.
As you can probably imagine, chocolate’s popularity continued to grow and grow. Everyone wanted a taste of this exotic food, and by 1602 chocolate found its way to Austria. Its popularity at the time is attested to by the fact that Pope Alexander VII proclaimed that chocolate drinks didn’t count when it came to fasting.
Nowadays, chocolate has reached all corners of the globe. And thank god for that—how sad would it be for someone to have never tried the ultimate sweet tooth-satisfying goodness that is chocolate?
The world’s simplest cake
Chocolate cake is one of the staples of modern desserts. Whether in the fancier French gâteau au chocolat, the rich German black forest cake, or even the simple American fudge cake, chocolate is a key ingredient in some of the world’s most iconic cake recipes.
But many cakes are quite complicated to make. With all the layering, icing, glazing, and fillings to be made, it can seem like quite a chore. There is, however, a plethora of simpler alternatives that will have you eating some freshly baked homemade cake in no time!
Imagine the situation—you’re hankering after some chocolate cake, but you don’t have any baking powder in the pantry. Have no fear, as there are some fantastic recipes out there for chocolate cakes without baking powder. Sure, you’ll still need baking soda, but for whatever reason, that seems to be something that’s more often found in pantries these days.
Apart from the obvious ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, you’re also going to be adding yogurt to this simple yet delicious treat. After combining your dry and liquid ingredients together, it’s time to place your cake in the oven for about an hour. Upon completion, it’s time for your tastebuds to enjoy some chocolatey goodness. Don’t forget to leave some for your family, though! They’ve definitely smelled it baking, and would be upset not to find any leftovers in the fridge.
A sweet surprise for the holiday season
Imagine the situation—it’s a week before Christmas, and you still haven’t decided on the menu for the festive days coming up. Supermarkets will be closed, and shelves are emptying quickly. What do you do?
Well, one thing’s for certain. You’re going to want a memorable Christmas dessert on the table. Luckily, the culinary tradition of France has got you covered—try making a French Cotillon, the queen of Christmas chocolate cakes.
Now, be warned—this is definitely not the simplest of cakes. But rest assured that the effort behind this beautiful behemoth of a dessert will definitely pay off. The luscious layers of white, bittersweet, milk, and dark chocolate all combine together with a myriad of other sweet ingredients to form one of the tastiest cakes you’ll ever make, period.
And, perhaps most importantly, your Christmas guests will have the memory of eating this wonderful dessert for years, if not decades, to come.
A quick, chocolatey treat
You know the days—you’ve just returned from a hard shift at work, and are completely exhausted. But your taste buds are screaming out for some sort of chocolate dish. What do you do? If energy levels are low, the effort involved in baking might seem beyond what you’re currently capable of.
Well, you’re in luck. With a few basic ingredients, you’ll be enjoying an exquisite chocolate ice cream with amarula in a matter of minutes. If your liquor cabinet isn’t stocked with amarula, have no fear—whisky or Kahlua will also do.
Along with the chocolate ice cream and your choice of liqueur, add some double cream into a blender. You’re going to want to blend it for a couple of minutes until all the ingredients have combined. When finished, chilled glasses will be the vessel of delivery for this quick and easy dessert. Top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and you’re good to go!
