Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens might be Maria von Trapp’s favourite things, but ahead of International Chocolate Day, celebrated on September 13, honouring the birthday of Milton S Hershey, the founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company, we ought to admit that there is a far more universal comfort, chocolate.
On screen, it has served as a symbol of indulgence, temptation, love, rebellion, revenge, and even survival. Where roses wilt and kittens grow, chocolate remains an unshakable constant, melting its way into the fictional land and into us.
Chocolate has become a universal prop. In Leo’s teaser, Vijay’s character is in a chocolate factory, the smooth flow of chocolate intercut with the jarring, violent chaos of his hidden self. It’s a bloody narrative that culminates in a line that has echoed through that film, “Bloody sweet”. Or consider Deiva Thirumagal. Here, a father’s love for his daughter is folded into the very chocolate he makes. Despite the problematic narratives these films may carry, but for today, our focus is solely on the cocoa. And here are the films that have seamlessly woven chocolate into their spines.
The Chocolate War (1988): Teen rebellion meets fundraising candy. Selling chocolates becomes the battleground for a kid who refuses to play along.
Consuming Passions (1988): Dark comedy in a chocolate factory where a tragic mishap turns sweets into scandalous bestsellers.
Like Water for Chocolate (1992): Recipes literally carry emotion. Tita’s cooking makes people fall in love, cry, and revolt.
Hot Chocolate (1992): A made-for-TV rom-com about buying a French truffle company.
Strawberry and Chocolate (1993): Cuban classic where the title hints at contrast, “chocolate” shows up as a cultural/sensual counterpoint in a film about friendship and freedom.
Chocolat (2000): A mysterious chocolatier opens a chocolate shop during Lent and uses truffles to tempt a straight-laced French town into pleasure.
Merci pour le Chocolat (2000): A Swiss chocolate fortune hides bitterness and secrets. Here, chocolate is the surface of a bitter psychological thriller.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): Tim Burton’s Wonka runs the world’s most bizarre chocolate factory where candy is the map to childhood wonder (and moral lessons).
Lessons in Chocolate (2007): An Italian rom-com where a reluctant student learns that chocolate lessons can stir up new careers and friendships.
Romantics Anonymous (2010): Two shy chocolatiers bumbling toward love prove that haute ganache and awkward flirting are a perfect match.
Dripping in Chocolate (2012): A detective follows a chocolate wrapper to a chocolatier as candies become clues in a murder mystery.
Chocolate Pieces (2017): A short about family and inheritance set around a chocolate shop.
Easter Under Wraps (2019): Hallmark’s Easter caper about undercover work at a family chocolate company.
Love, Romance & Chocolate (2019): A Hallmark trip to Belgium where pralines, pastry contests, and cobbled streets spark predictable but cozy romance.
Mr Mistake’s Belgian Chocolate (2020): A whimsical short where a bite of Belgian chocolate sends the protagonist teleporting to Belgium — chocolate.
Peace by Chocolate (2021): A Syrian family rebuilds their life in Canada by making artisanal chocolate — cocoa becomes hope and small-business therapy.
Sweeter Than Chocolate (2023): A Valentine’s-day TV romp where a bakery’s “secret” recipe is rumored to be a love-guarantee.
Blood Covered Chocolate (2023): Horror where chocolate-scented gore meets shapeshifters, don’t eat the candy unless you like vampires.
Wonka (2023): The origin story of Willy Wonka, chocolate invention, candy dreams, and one man’s plan to disrupt the confectionery cartel.
Recipes from the reel world
Feeling inspired? Don’t just watch it, taste it. Here’s how to bring the magic into your kitchen.
Bruce Bogtrotter’s Chocolate Cake (Matilda, 1996)
Ingredients
Plain flour (maida): 225 g (1 ¾ cups)
Caster sugar: 350 g (1 ¾ cups)
Cocoa powder: 85 g (¾ cup)
Baking powder: 1 ½ tsp
Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda): 1 ½ tsp
Eggs: 2
Milk: 250 ml (1 cup)
Vegetable oil: 125 ml (½ cup)
Vanilla extract: 2 tsp
Boiling water: 250 ml (1 cup)
Frosting
Dark chocolate (melted): 200 g
Butter: 200 g (1 cup)
Icing sugar: 400 g (3 cups)
Milk: 100 ml (½ cup)
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line and grease two round cake tins.
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Stir in boiling water last — the batter will be thin.
Divide into tins and bake 30-35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.
For frosting, beat butter, icing sugar, and milk until fluffy. Fold in melted chocolate.
Sandwich cakes with frosting, then cover the whole cake generously.
Serve thick slices.
Minny’s Chocolate Pie (The Help, 2011)
Ingredients
Sugar: 300 g (about 1 ½ cups)
Cocoa powder: 3 tbsp
Melted butter: 115 g (½ cup)
Eggs (beaten): 2
Evaporated milk: 180 ml (¾ cup)
Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Salt: a pinch
Whipped cream: for serving
Homemade Pie Shell
All-purpose flour: 1 ¼ cups (150 g)
Butter (cold, cubed): ½ cup (115 g)
Salt: ¼ tsp
Ice water: 3-4 tbsp
Method
Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture looks like crumbs. Add ice water a little at a time until dough comes together. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes, then roll into a circle to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Prick base with fork before filling.
Preheat oven to 175°C.
Mix sugar, cocoa, melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Pour filling into pie shell.
Bake for 45 minutes, until centre is set but slightly wobbly.
Cool completely. Serve with whipped cream.
Joan’s Rainbow Cake (Salt N’ Pepper, 2011)
By Sangeetha Priya (via www.nithaskitchen.com)
Ingredients
Base Cake (for each layer)
All purpose flour or cake flour: 1 cup (120 g)
Baking powder: 2 tsp (1 ½ tsp for pistachio layer)
Sugar: 1/2 cup (plus 2 tbsp extra for strawberry layer)
Unsalted butter: 4-5 tbsp
Whole egg: 1
Egg white: 1
Yogurt: 2-4 tbsp (adjust for batter consistency)
Flavour variations
Strawberry cake: Add 1/3 cup strawberry puree (~225 g strawberries), 2 drops red food colour, 1 tsp strawberry or vanilla extract
Pistachio cake: Add 1/2 cup pistachio paste (soaked & ground), 2 drops green food colour, 1 tsp pistachio or vanilla extract
Orange cake: Add 1/3 cup orange juice, 1 tsp orange rind, 2 drops orange food colour, 1/2 tsp orange extract (optional)
Whipped Cream Frosting
Whipping cream (cold): 400-600 ml
Icing sugar: 1/2 cup
Gelatin (optional for stability): 2 tsp (bloomed in cold water)
Fresh fruits: as needed
Salt: a pinch
Chocolate Glaze
Chocolate: 100-150 g
Heavy cream: 100 ml
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line three 6” pans.
For each layer, beat butter and sugar until creamy, add eggs, then fold in flour and baking powder alternately with yogurt and the chosen flavour variation.
Pour batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
After it cools down, trim the tops so layers are even.
Whip cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add icing sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Add gelatin for stability.
Heat cream until warm, pour over chopped chocolate, let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir smooth for the glaze. Let it cool down slightly.
Place orange cake as base with a little cream to hold it. Spread whipped cream. Add pistachio cake, spread cream. Add strawberry cake, spread cream.
Apply a thin crumb coat of cream and let it chill for 1 hour. Frost fully with whipped cream.
Decorate with fresh fruits. Pour chocolate glaze over the cake.
Let it chill at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Vianne’s Spiced Hot Chocolate (Chocolat, 2000)
Ingredients
Boiling water: 2 cups
Chilli pepper (cut in half with seeds removed): 1
Light cream or whole milk: 5 cups, Vanilla bean (split lengthwise): 1
Cinnamon sticks: 1-2
Bittersweet chocolate or Mexican chocolate (3 tablets), cut into 1/4-inch pieces: 200 g
Sugar or honey (to taste): 2 tbsp
Garnish (optional): Almonds or hazelnuts (ground extra-fine): 1 tbsp
Whipped cream, cinnamon sticks
Method
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add chill pepper to boiling water.
Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove chili pepper; strain water and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until bubbles appear around the edge.
Reduce the heat. Add chocolate and sugar or honey, whisking occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves.
Turn off the heat, remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chilli-infused water, a little at a time.
Serve in small cups or glass mugs and offer ground almonds or hazelnuts and whipped cream. Garnish each serving with a cinnamon stick.