World Chocolate Day Treats

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…no not Christmas (better)… it’s World Chocolate Day. A full day dedicated to our favourite thing EVER, chocolate. As you may know our Chocolate blog is jam packed full of mouth-watering recipes for you to try at home with your friends and family but in celebration of this delish day, we have 3 brand new tasty treats for you to make this July 7th! Are you ready for a chocolate sensation?

Chocolate Banana Nut Brownies

Moist, rich, nutty and crumbly. The chocolate and banana flavours are equal and balanced and make the ideal healthy (ish) chocolate treat to share with friends (well it has fruit in it!)

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Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 176C / gas mark 4.
  2. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
  3. Line bottom and up two sides of pan with greaseproof paper with an overhang (will make it easy to lift brownies out of pan).
  4. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
  5. Melt the chocolate drops in a medium stainless-steel bowl over simmering water, stirring constantly (careful not to burn) or you can melt in the microwave in a glass bowl, instead.
  6. Remove from heat when melted and stir until smooth.
  7. Add the sugar to the chocolate and whisk to combine.
  8. Now add the eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture.
  9. Whisk all ingredients to combine again.
  10. Add the flour mixture and stir carefully until just moistened.
  11. Then stir in the chopped pecans.
  12. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  13. Top with slices of banana.
  14. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
  15. Cool the brownies completely in the pan, lift the brownies out of pan with the greaseproof paper.
  16. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares.

Triple Layered Chocolate Black Forest Cake

Get ready to impress your guests with this chocolate Kirsch cherry layered cream cake. The ultimate revamp version of a retro classic.

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Ingredients:

  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 50g cocoa powder
  • 250g Lily O’Brien’s Dark Chocolate Drops (chopped)
  • 250g light muscovado sugar
  • 200g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 4 large free range eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 50ml natural yoghurt
  • Can of black cherry pie filling
  • 2 tbsp. Kirsch cherry liqueur (optional)
  • 400ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp. icing sugar
  • 1 small punnet of fresh cherries (optional)

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4.
  2. Line 3 x 20cm spring-form cake tins with greaseproof paper.
  3. Sift then stir together the flour and cocoa in a bowl.
  4. Melt slowly in a pan over a low to medium heat, the chocolate, sugar and butter (cut into chunks) with 100ml water in a pan until smooth, then leave to cool.
  5. Once cooled, transfer the chocolate mix to a large bowl and whisk in the eggs one by one until combined, followed by the yoghurt and vanilla extract, then stir one more.
  6. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (so you don’t get a flour cloud) and when fully combined, give a quick whisk.
  7. Divide the cake batter between the 3 cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middles comes out clean. You may get little cracks on top of the cake, but this is normal.
  8. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  9. If you would like to add the traditional Kirsch in your cherries, add both to a bowl and combine gently. Don’t squash the cherries.
  10. When the cakes are cool, whisk the cream and the icing sugar together until softly whipped peaks (not too stiff).
  11. Spread over two of the cakes, then spoon over the jammy cherries.
  12. Stack the cakes together, careful not to squish the filling, with the last layer on top. The odd cherry may drop out as it will be very moist and gooey!
  13. Pop a few the fresh cherries on and around the cake and serve.

BAKING TIP: You can spoon extra Kirsch over the cake for an extra dinner party kick. Also layer the cake only when completely cooled and just before serving! Serve with a good dash of pouring cream.

Caramel and Chocolate Slices

These caramel chocolate slices are perfect bites of creamy heaven. Buttery layers of crumbly shortbread, sticky caramel and mouth-watering chocolate. These little treats really hit that mid-week craving.

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Ingredients:

For the Caramel Base:

  • 128g plain flour
  • 64g brown sugar
  • 64g of oats
  • 125g melted butter

For the Caramel topping:

  • 150g dark brown soft sugar
  • 150g butter
  • 397g can Carnation Condensed Milk

For the chocolate topping:

Method:

  1. Melt the butter gently on the hob in a pan
  2. Put the dry ingredients into the melted butter.
  3. Mix it together thoroughly, then press the mixture into a square greaseproof lined tin to create your base layer.
  4. Cook the base until golden for 15-20mins on 180C/fan 160C/gas 4
  5. Once baked, allow to cool completely
  6. Heat the sugar and 150g butter in a non-stick pan gently, stirring, until melted.
  7. Add the Carnation condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil, stirring continuously.
  8. Simmer for a couple of minutes, don’t worry it will start to thicken
  9. Pour the caramel over the base and spread evenly with a spatula.
  10. Let the caramel layer chill and set in the fridge for an hour
  11. Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave or over hot water in a saucepan on the hob, mix together.
  12. Pour the chocolate over the caramel, again spread to ensure coverage
  13. Leave to set in the fridge for 1 – 2 hours.
  14. Use a heated knife (running a knife under a hot tap) to carefully cut into slices. You may find your slices uneven, but it doesn’t change the mouth-watering taste

Caramel Slices with Lily O'Brien's​

Whether you pick a treat to share with your friends and family from above or the rest of our blog, we hope your World Chocolate Day is packed full of chocolatey goodness. Hey, don’t forget share your bakes with us on social!