Satiate your chocolate cravings with decadent recipes

Chocolate is an aphrodisiac that often feels like a warm hug. Now too much chocolate, like most things, can be bad. But that doesn't stop the world from indulging in a decadent treat or two. In fact, statistics reveal that nine out of ten people in the world love and consume chocolate, which is hardly a surprise. 

The evolution of chocolate is quite interesting. Back in the 1500s, chocolate was quite different from what it is today. It was consumed without sugar, as a bitter liquid that tasted solely of cocoa beans! Sugar and other flavours were introduced only in the 16th century. In view of World Chocolate Day, which is allegedly the anniversary of the first chocolate invented in Europe in 1550, getting creative with how we consume this silky goodness is a must.

Mondelez India, the parent company of most of our beloved chocolate brands has come up with out-of-the-box ways to enjoy this universal favourite. Read on for some recipes that are perfect for chocolate aficionados and dessert lovers alike!

Mithai with a twist

The only thing that is better than chocolate alone is a fusion of mithai and chocolate. A concoction made out of tradition and guilty pleasures, these recipes are irresistibly brewed to perfection using both classic and unexpected flavours, by Mondelez India's Cadbury's Dessert Corner.

Chocolate halwa

Ingredients 

1/4 cup of semolina or sooji, 1 1/2 tbsp of Cadbury Cocoa Powder, 2 1/2 of sugar, 3 tbsp of ghee, 1/3 cup of milk, 50gm of Cadbury Dairy Milk. 

Method

Heat ghee in a pan, add sooji, and roast until it turns golden. Ensure the heat is low to prevent the sooji from burning. To that, add sugar and keep the flame on low. Cook until all of the sugar dissolves and blends with the sooji and ghee mixture. Pour milk into the mixture, and cook until it starts to thicken, and everything comes together as a cohesive mixture. Next, introduce Cadbury Cocoa powder and break the Dairy Milk chocolate into small pieces, adding them to the sooji while the halwa is still runny. Continue cooking until the halwa thickens, and the fat becomes visible on the sides. Finally, plate it out in a bowl and garnish with chopped nuts of your preference.

Chocolate khajur barfi

Ingredients

2 tbsp pista, 2 tbsp chironji, 2 tbsp poppy seeds, 1/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1 tsp green cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder, 2 tsp ghee, 1/4 cup cashew nuts, 1/4 cup dried coconut, 1 Cadbury 5-Star, 1 Cadbury Dairy Milk, 2 cups dates pulp.

Method

Dry roast, cashews, almonds, walnuts, dry coconut, chironji, pista, and poppy seeds. Then, heat ghee in a pan, add dates pulp, and cook until it starts leaving the sides of the pan. Add Cadbury 5-star, Cadbury dairy milk and mix well. To this, add roasted nuts, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder and mix well. Spread roasted poppy seeds and pista over butter paper. Place the cooked date mixture. Then, grease your palm with ghee and roll it into a cylindrical shape. Sprinkle poppy seeds, pista, and roll it again. Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours. Cut into slices and serve.

Chocolate besan laddoo

Ingredients

1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 cups besan, 1/2 cup ghee, 2 tbsp Cadbury Cocoa powder, 1 tsp cardamom powder, 1/3 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tbsp cashew nuts.

Method

Dry Roast besan on medium heat until it changes colour to slightly Golden-ish. To the besan, add in Cadbury Cocoa Powder and mix everything well. Add ghee and cook the mixture on medium flame until everything is well combined. Then, cool down this mixture and transfer it to a bowl. Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and mix everything well. Then, apply some ghee on your hands, take a portion of the mixture and shape it into a laddoo. Place half-chew on top of the laddoo and press it gently. Delicious Chocolate Besan Laddoos are ready to be served.

Guilt-free twist

Abate the "guilty" from guilty pleasure because, with these recipes, chocolate is about to become about as healthy as you daily dinner. 

Chocolate makhana

Ingredients

100gm makhana, 100gm Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toppings - Toasted sesame or sprinkles. 

Method

Toast the makhana till it's golden. Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Microwave the chopped chocolate in bursts of 10 seconds to melt the chocolate, stirring every time in between. To that, add the toasted makhana and mix to coat the makhana with the chocolate completely. Spread the chocolate-coated makhana on a tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle toasted sesame or sprinkles if you like. Finally, once dry, store it in an air-tight jar and refrigerate it.

Oat-tastic

Ingredients

Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut, 1 cup of oats, 1 medium banana, 1/3 cup strawberry, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tsp flax seeds, 1 tsp raisins, 1 tsp of maple syrup (optional).

Method

In two containers, mix half a cup of oats and almond milk each. This is the base for your overnight oats. Cut the Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut Chocolate into very thin slices. Proceed to cut the banana and strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Add these to your containers with oats. Next come the chia seeds and flax seeds for omega-3 fatty acids and fibre, along with raisins. Give all the ingredients one last mix so that the seeds don't settle at the bottom of the containers. Refrigerate both containers overnight to allow all the flavours to familiarize themselves with each other and for the oats and the chia seeds to absorb the liquid. The result should be a creamy and satisfying texture. Finally, in the morning, take out the containers from the fridge and have an oat-tastic start to the day.

Tips

While the Oat-tastic will be sweet because of the chocolate and the fruit, you can still add maple syrup. If you want your dessert to be a tad bit healthier, consider adding Cadbury Bournville dark chocolate instead to this dish. Dark chocolate generally contains less sugar and has a higher quantity of antioxidants, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese. And if you don’t want any added sugar at all, consider using just natural maple syrup and raisins along with Cadbury cocoa powder for that chocolate kick. Other options for sweeteners are chopped dates, jaggery, and agave syrup. Depending on seasonal availability and healthy combinations that work, you can add blueberries / mangoes / kiwis/ pomegranate seeds / apples / plums/ peaches to this recipe.

Classic cocoa cleanse smoothie

Ingredients

Unsweetened almond milk, raw cacao powder, banana, dates, vanilla extract.

Method

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

Tips

Enhance your metabolism by adding a pinch of cinnamon.

Yummy delights in just 15 minutes

Too tired to spend ages in the kitchen? These recipes have got you- minus the wait and the effort!

Mug brownie

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil, 2 tbsp milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1 1/3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/8 tsp salt, 2 tsp mini chocolate chips (optional). 

Method

Put the coconut oil in a microwave-safe mug. Add the milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt, and whisk until completely mixed. To this mixture, add the chocolate chips, and mix. Microwave for 30 to 40 seconds until it’s firm to touch. Let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy.

Chocolate ice cream

Ingredients

2 bananas, 1/4 cup peanut butter, unsweetened shredded coconut for garnish.

Method

Add the bananas and the peanut butter to a food processor and mix until smooth. Chill the mixture for a few hours. Finally, garnish with shredded coconut and serve once cool. 

Cherry chocolate sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of white bread, 3 tablespoons of cherry pie filling, 1 tablespoon of chopped almonds, 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips. 

Method

Place one slice of bread on a flat surface. Spread the pie filling on it and top it with almonds and chocolate chips. Add the remaining bread slices. Toast, place in a pan, or press into a sandwich iron and cook over a hot flame. Continue the chosen process for 3-6 minutes, until the bread slices are golden brown and thoroughly heated. Serve warm.

Lead image credit: Pexels

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