Top 5 Chocolate Dessert Recipes

By Fatima N.

Top 5 Chocolate Dessert RecipesFor the Holidays 

I think chocolate is the closest we'll ever get to something everyone likes. Here are the top 5 chocolate dessert recipes, quick and easy to make while entertaining your guests for the holidays. And disclaimer: these are my top 5. There is no official dictum on chocolate. All chocolate is good.

Caramel brownies with pretzel crust

1. Recipe: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I think I'll kick it off with something simple. You can make a whole platter of these for parties or a bowl for yourself!

Sea salt chocolate stuffed strawberries 

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate

Strawberries

Directions:

Melt chocolate in microwave or on stovetop. Dip strawberries in. Place on cookie sheet or tray. Place in fridge.

2. Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

I've bookmarked this from Popsugar a while ago, I really need to get around to making it! It takes everyone's favorite part of cookies(cookie dough!)- and uses it as the main part of the dish.

INGREDIENTS

-For cookie dough

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

-For chocolate coating

8 ounces dark chocolate candy coating

DIRECTIONS 

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, two to three minutes. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle. 

Form the dough into one-inch balls and arrange them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place the sheets in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or microwave, according to package directions, being careful not to overheat it. Using a fork or dipping tool, dip the truffles one at a time in the candy coating to cover. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to shake off the excess coating, and return the truffles to the baking sheets to set. If you have any leftover coating, transfer it to a piping bag or squeeze bottle fitted with a small round tip and pipe decorative lines over top of truffles — or simply drizzle coating with a fork for an abstract finish. 

Refrigerate in an airtight container. Truffles will keep for up to one week. 

3. Recipe: Chocolate Banoffee Puffs

This requires only five ingredients and looks delicious! For something simpler try puff pastry sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with chocolate.

INGREDIENTS 

200g puff pastry


4tbsp toffee sauce or fudge sauce


1 banana, sliced


16 squares of chocolate (~60g), broken into individual squares


Spray oil or melted butter (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F). Cover a baking tray in non-stick baking paper.

Roll out the pastry until it measures approximately 14 x 14 inches, then cut it into 4 squares. In the centre of each square, add about a tablespoon of fudge sauce, and top with a few slices of banana and four squares of chocolate.

Carefully fold up the edges of the pastry, and squeeze tightly together to close each parcel. Place them seam-down on the lined baking tray, and bake for around 15 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.

These will keep for a few days in the fridge (you can reheat them in about 20-30 seconds in the microwave), but they're best eaten straight after cooking otherwise the pastry can get a little soggy.

4. Recipe: Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Now this isn't a chocolate dessert recipe per se, but it can be used to top one. 

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 13-ounce jar of Nutella

pinch of fine grain sea salt

1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract

1.5 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6-8 tablespoons heavy cream or milk 

DIRECTIONS 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and Nutella until well combined, thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended. 

Add salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 3-5 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

5. Recipe: Girl Scout Samoa Cookie Chocolate Cups

My favorite Girl Scout Cookie is the Samoa. The caramel-chocolate combo is killer. I usually comb the web for different variations of it. This one is a Recess peanut butter cup-esque take on it.

INGREDIENTS 

21 /2 chocolate chips (semi-sweet) 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes 

1 cup caramel sauce 

6 shortbread cookies, cut into 4 pieces each. 

Sprinkle sea salt 

DIRECTIONS

Line 24 mini muffin pan with liners. 

Add 2 cups chocolate chips to a medium bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Microwave another 30 seconds and stir. Repeating until all chocolate is melted and smooth. 

Drop 2 teaspoons of chocolate into each liner, then with a pastry brush, brush the chocolate up the sides of the liner making sure to coat them well. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, add coconut flakes and toast over medium heat. Stirring the coconut around until golden brown. Reserve ½ cup of toasted coconut for garnish. Add the remaining coconut to a bowl and add caramel sauce. Mix well. 

Once chocolate cups are frozen, remove from freezer, add one shortbread cookie into the bottom of each cup, then top with 1 tsp of caramel mixture and a sprinkle of sea salt. Place back in freezer for 15 minutes. 

Melt remaining chocolate then cover each cup with chocolate, smoothing with a spoon as needed. Sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut. Freeze again for 15 minutes. 

Salted pretzel chocolate chip cookie dough snickers bars

Now ypu are faced with a dilemma. You want chocolate, but you want it healthy. The solution? Replace whatever chocolate you use with dark chocolate! It's full of antioxidants that keep your heart healthy and provides magnesium, iron and zinc among others. It has that richness of regular chocolate. Great for your sweet tooth and for your health, and maybe, in these desserts.

Salted Caramel Brownie Sandwich Cookies