Dark and delicious

This World Chocolate Day, turn the cocoa-rich bar into a decadent dessert or bring in happy hours with a sweet cocktail

BENGALURU: Good day, bad day, breakup, cheat meal, midnight snack... We turn towards chocolate a lot. Ever the versatile ingredient, chocolate lends great company to any dish or drink. And this Tuesday just got a whole lot sweeter thanks to World Chocolate Day. City chefs help you whip up some easy-to-make chocolate desserts and cocktails, all starring ingredients that are easily available in your pantry.

Chocolate chip cookies
Ingredients

•  All purpose flour: 
• 2 ¼ cups 
•  Baking soda: 1 tsp 
•  Salt: ½ tsp  
•  Unsalted butter at room temperature: ½ cup/ 
• 1 stick plus 2 tbsp  
•  Granulated sugar: ¾ cup 
•  ¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar 
•  Eggs: 2
•  Vanilla extract: ¾ tsp  
•  Semi sweet chocolate chips: 2 cups

 Method

•  Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 
•  In a stand mixer with the paddle, cream the butter and both sugars for two minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. 
•  Add the eggs, one at a time, 
• mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. 
•  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Remove the bowl and fold the chocolate chunks. 
•  Portion the dough into 24 balls. Place on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes to 24 hours. 
•  When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 F. 
•  Let the cookies sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Arrange cookies on the baking sheet. Gently flatten the dough balls. 
•  Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies sit on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. 
• Bobbie Lloyd, chief baking officer, Magnolia Bakery

SHAHI TUKDA WITH CHOCOLATE RABDI

Ingredients

•  Ghee: 2 tbsp 
•  White bread: 3 slices 
•  Full fat milk: 1/2 ltr  
•  Milk powder: 4 tbsp  
•  Dark chocolate: 30 g
•  Heavy cream: 30 g 
•  Sugar: 3 tbsp 
•  Almonds: 7-8 
•  Pistachio nuts: 7-8 
•  Water: 2 tbsp

Preparation

• Cut the sides of the bread and cut it diagonally further into four equal triangles.
• Microwave chocolate with cream for 30-40 seconds and mix them up into chocolate ganache.
• Microwave chocolate with cream for 30-40 seconds and mix them up into chocolate ganache.

Method

•  Heat a tawa and add ghee. Toast the bread slices on slow heat on both sides until crispy, golden brown texture is achieved. Keep aside. 
•  Heat a different pan, add milk and let it come to two boils. Add the milk powder slurry and keep stirring to avoid burning, also keep collecting the cream being formed and incorporate it to thicken the milk and reduce it 
• by 50 per cent. Mix sugar. 
• Cook for two minutes and switch off the flame. 
•  Remove half of the white rabdi in a bowl, mix the chocolate ganache to the remaining half. Save 1 tbsp of the ganache for garnish. 
•  Set the bread slices on a plate. 
•  Pour the white rabdi. Top it up with chocolate rabdi. 
•  Add a line of the chocolate ganache. 
•  Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios. 
• Sagar A Kataria, chef and entrepreneur

Decadent 

Ingredients

•  Smirnoff chocolate flavour: 50 ml
•  Fresh cream: 20 ml
•  Chocolate and almond sauce: 15 ml 
•  Homemade chocolate bar: 1 piece

Method

•  Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake it.
•  Double strain it into a martini glass with one ice ball
•  Garnish with chocolate bar
• Janin Kannoth, mixologist, URU Brewpark

Dark chocolate guacamole with cinnamon sugar dusted nachos

Ingredients

•  Dark chocolate Guacamole
•  Ripe avocado: 1 pc
•  Organic honey: 1 tbsp
•  Dark chocolate, melted: 
• 4 tbsp
•  Olive oil: 1 tsp    
•  Salt: a pinch    
•  Cinnamon Sugar 
• Dusted Nachos
•  Garnish
•  Roasted pumpkin seeds: 1 tbsp

Method:

•  Cut avocados into half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado flesh from the peel into a mixing bowl. Discard any browned areas. 
•  Cut into small cubes a table spoon of avocado and keep it aside for the garnish, smear it with a little olive oil. 
•  Using a fork, mash the rest of avocado, add in honey, melted dark chocolate, olive oil and pinch of salt. Blend well. Your dark chocolate guacamole is ready. Now transfer the mix in the pipping bag. Keep the pipping bag in the refrigerator till the mix get stiff to pipe.
•  To serve, take out the chocolate guacamole and pipe it well on the plate, arrange cinnamon sugar nachos on the side and garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds, which are called Pepitas, and cubes of avocado. 
• Vikas Seth, chef and culinary director, Sanchez and Sriracha Bangalore