World Chocolate Day: Whip Up These Chefs' Special Chocolate Recipes At Home

It’s World Chocolate Day today and what better way to celebrate than to whip up exclusive chef-approved chocolate recipes to celebrate the day? By Sreetama Basu

Not that we would ever need a reason or a specific day to gorge on chocolates, but today is just perfect to indulge. You can always buy store-bought chocolates for your chocolate cravings. Why not celebrate this day in a special way that will make you the star of your parties and gatherings? We got in touch with celebrated chefs from the most famous cafes and restaurants across Mumbai and Goa to get you the most exclusive, but easy chocolate recipes that you can make at home today.

Chefs’ special chocolate recipes to try at home

Messy Affair – By Chef Akansha Saigal at Elephant & Co., Goa

Cookie Base

1. Butter: 500 gms
2. Brown sugar: 250 gms
3. Castor Sugar: 200 gms
4. Flour: 750 gms
5. Baking Powder: 10 gms
6. Baking soda: 5 gms
7. Salt: A pinch
8. Dark Chocolate Chips: 300 gms
9. Milk: 200 ml

Coffee Sponge

1. Vanilla Pre mix: 500 gms
2. Cocoa Powder: 25 gms
3. Water: 250 ml
4. Oil: 15 ml
5. Milk: 25 ml

Coffee syrup:

1. Water: 200 ml
2. Coffee powder: 12 gms
3. Sugar: 30 gms

Dark Chocolate Mousse:

1. Whipped cream- 300 ml
2. Callebaut Dark chocolate- 300 gms
3. Fresh Cream – 250 gms

Method:

• Boil fresh cream and add in the chocolate and whisk to make a ganache.
• In the meanwhile whip the whipping cream to soft peaks once the chocolate is cooled add the ganache to the whipped cream.

Glaze:

1. Dark chocolate: 50 gms
2. Fresh Cream: 75 ml

Souffle by Chef Prakash Pradhan at Yazu, Goa

Ingredients:

1. Dark chocolate 400gms
2. Unsalted butter 400gms
3. Egg yolk 120gms
4. Egg white 400gms
5. Sugar 104gms
6. Cocoa powder 20gms
7. Flour 20 gms

Method:

1. Melt the dark chocolate and unsalted butter.

2. Whisk egg yolk lightly.

3. Add to the chocolate and butter mixture

4. Make a meringue with egg white and sugar and fold

5. Fold the flour and cocoa powder

6. Grease moulds with butter and castor sugar

7. Pour 110 grams of the mixture into the moulds and chill.

8. Cover with tin wrap and date tag.

Birds Eye Chilli Brownie by HeadChef Parvez Khan at Wakai

Ingredients:

1. 240 gms Unsalted Butter
2. 80 ml Olive Oil
3. 630 gms 70% Sao Thome Chocolate
4. 380 gms Brown Sugar
5. 6 Whole Eggs
6. 180 gms Refined Flour
7. 30 gms Cocoa Powder
8. 50 gms Birds Eye Chilli
9. 5 ml Vanilla Essence

Method:

• Melt 440 gms of chocolate and butter together. In a mixing bowl add sugar, eggs, and vanilla essence and whisk well, till the sugar dissolves.
• In a pan add oil and chopper chillies and saute. Cool it down.
• Add the oil to the egg mixture, add the melted chocolate and butter mixtures as well and combine well. Fold in the dry ingredients.
• Sift all the dry ingredients, roughly chop the remaining 220 gms of chocolate and add to the dry ingredients.
• Line a tray, pour the mixture into the tray and bake it at 170 degrees celsius for 25-30 mins.
• Once the brownie is baked, sprinkle some sea salt on it and you have your chocolate recipe ready.

Chocolate & caramel banana marble mouse by Founder Karan Nohria at Silly, Khar

This is a recipe for 8 people. So put on your chef hat at your next house party.

Ingredients:

For the chocolate base:

1. Dark chocolate 300 gm
2. Fresh cream 240 gm
3. Salt as per taste
4. Agar-agar 8 gm

For caramel base:

1. Sugar 150 gms
2. Butter 150 gms
3. Fresh cream 200 ml
4. Whipped cream 100 gm
5. Agar-agar 4 gm
6. Gelatin 6 gm
7. Whipped cream 100 gm

Garnishing:

1. Banana 1pc
2. Chocolate sauce 30 ml
3. Chopped pistachio and almond 20 gms
4. Raspberry sauce or coulis 30 gms
5. Chocolate crumbs 20 gms

Method:

• Heat sugar in a pan till it is light brown, add butter, and a pinch of salt followed by cream to make the caramel sauce.
• Heat the cream, add gelatin, and agar-agar and stir thoroughly so that it dissolves in the cream. Do not boil the cream.
• Now fold it with the caramel sauce and set it in a square tray and keep it in a refrigerator to cool.
• Heat the dark chocolate with cream and add agar, stir till it dissolves completely.
• Now fold it with whipped cream and set it on top of the caramel base and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
• Cut the set mouse according to your shape and garnish with sugar, flamed banana, pistachio and almond. Drizzle chocolate sauce and raspberry coulis.

Rocky Road by Founder, Mihir Desai of Bar Bank, Juhu & Powai

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup hazelnuts
2. 8 scoops (about 1 pint) of chocolate ice cream
3. 4 scoops (about 1/2 pint) of coffee ice cream
4. 1 cup Chocolate Sauce
5. 3/4 cup Marshmallow Sauce
6. 2 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, cut into chunks

Method:

Step 1

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until chocolate is melted and smooth

Step 2

Layer biscuit pieces, almonds, marshmallows, cherries, ice cream scoops, and melted chocolate into serving glasses, finishing with a melted chocolate layer on top. Note: Melt chocolate over simmering water, stirring occasionally as it softens.

Nutella Hot Dog by Founder Ishaan Bahl of 145, All Outlets

Ingredients:

1. Brioche Roll
2. Flour 250 gms
3. Yeast 5 gms
4. Salt 5 gms
5. Milk 150ml
6. Egg Yolk 2 nos
7. Butter 150 gms
8. Sugar 25 gms

Chocolate Ganache:

1. Chocolate 150 gms
2. Cream 100 gms
3. Milk 25 gms

Garnish:

1. Nutella
2. Chocolate Sauce
3. Strawberry Sauce

Method:

1) Flour, Yeast, Salt, Milk, Egg Yolk, and Sugar mixed together at a slow speed. Gradually add the cold butter.

2) Once the dough is ready, rest for 30 mins

3) Roll the dough in a hot dog shape

4) Bake it at 200 Celcius for 12 mins

5) Heat the milk and cream together and add to the chocolate

6) Fill the mixture in a cylindrical mould and freeze for 30 mins

7) Serve the roll on top of the bread and garnish with all the sauces

Black Forest Trifle By Chef Sarah Todd

Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 60 Minutes + Overnight soaking

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1kg Sweet black cherries
2. 100g sugar
3. 1 Vanilla pod
4. 1 cup water
5. 1 cinnamon stick, broken in 2
6. Half cup Kirsch
7. 4 whole cloves
8. Whipped cream chantilly:
9. 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
10. 50g white chocolate melted
11. 200 ml whipping cream, whipped
12. 2 tsp kirsch
13. 250g chocolate sponge, pre-made
14. 75g chocolate
15. 300g chocolate custard
16. 150g cherry compote

Method:

Step 1
Using a sharp knife or a cherry pitter, pit the cherries, Discard stalks, and pits. Sprinkle sugar over the prepared cherries; gently stir and cover and leave overnight in a cool place. Next day, strain cherries and set aside keeping the juices. Add juices into a saucepan and add spices and bring to a boil.

Spoon cherries into the sterilised preserving jar. Take the saucepan off the heat and leave for a few minutes before straining the juices through a fine-meshed sieve. Discard the spices.

Add 1 cup water and a half cup of Kirsch to the juices, stir well and pour over the cherries. Ensure cherries are totally covered by adding more Kirsch if required. Store in a cool, dark place.

Step 2
Arrange the trifle, and sponge on the bottom, and pour over some of the cherry liquid. Layer the rest of the ingredients. Make all components the day before and a few hours before the guests arrive, assemble the trifle and your chocolate recipe will be the star of the party.

Mario Discovery by Vinayak Patil at Butterfly High, Bkc & Thane

Image Credit: Butterfly high

Ingredients:

Brownie crumble For Bed

1. Amul butter – 50gm
2. Dark chocolate – 65 gm
3. Milk 32 gm
4. Sugar – 20 gm
5. Milkmaid – 60gm
6. Refined flour – 38gm
7. Cocoa powder – 3 gm
8. Baking powder 2gm
9. Walnut – 5gm
10. Dark callabant – 10gm

Baked at 175 degrees Celsius

White chocolate cone:

1. Cones
2. Melted white chocolates – 25 gms

Set it in the fridge

Macarons:

1. Almond flour- 10 grams
2. Icing sugar- 10grms
3. Castor sugar- 5.5 grams
4. Egg white- 9grms
5. Red food colour – 10 ml
6. Vanilla essence- 1grm

Bake at 100℃ for 3 hours

Method for macarons:

In a bowl separate egg whites and beat them till soft peaks then add castor sugar to make meringue.

In a separate bowl measure almond flour, and icing sugar and mix it with a spatula then add dry ingredients into the meringue and use the cut and fold method for mixing then add vanilla essence and red food colour and mix it well. Take a clean piping bag transfer the batter into it and pipe it on a silicon mat. Then do the dropping method and rest it for 15 minutes then bake it at 100℃ for 3 hours

Method for Mario Discovery:

In a serving plate make a bed of crums of brownie then add chocolate sauce to it. Pipe white whip cream and chocolate whip cream and sprinkle red macaron powder on white whip cream and sprinklers on chocolate whip cream then keep white chocolate cones filled with white whip cream and stick a macaron on top of it and place 3 dots on macarons with cake gel. And your fancy chocolate recipe is ready to serve!

All Images: Courtesy of restaurants

(This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India)

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