Gourmet Homemade Chocolatey Treats to Surprise Your Loved One With

This is not a Valentine’s Day article and we believe one does not need any special occasion to gift a bunch of homemade chocolatey goodness to their loved ones. Is there someone in your life who has been going through a rough patch, or someone who you have been grateful for lately? Then try whipping up a batch of these gourmet chocolate desserts that will instantly make their day and make them smile and appreciate the effort that goes into making these delicious chocolatey treats.

1. Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Ingredients

• 300 gm all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 70 gm butter
• 55 gm Cadbury Cocoa powder
• 135 gm granulated sugar
• 65 g packed brown sugar
• 80 ml plain yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Soft chewy caramel rolled into little balls
• a pinch of sea salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and while the oven heats, use parchment paper to line two baking trays. Spray with cooking spray to avoid the cookies from sticking.
2. In a bowl mix the dry ingredients – flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large bottom pan. Once melted, add the cocoa powder, sugar and mix. Then add the plain yogurt and vanilla and combine again.
4. Add the flour mixture into this wet mix and combine again. Now shape the dough into balls and insert a caramel ball in between each of the cookie dough.
5. Place the almost flattened doughs with ample space between the cookies on the prepared baking tray.
6. Bake for 10 minutes and let them sit in the oven for a minute or two before removing from heat.

2. Choco Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 200 gm flour
• 70 gm Cadbury Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• 180 gm unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 200 gm granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

For decoration: royal icing and rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

1. Start with the dough by mixing the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
2. You will need a handheld mixer for this step. Use the mixer to beat butter and sugar, on high, until they are creamy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla essence and repeat. Scrape from the sides and mix until the texture is uniform.
3. To this wet mixture, add the dry ingredients from the other bowl with the flour mix.
4. Mix until the texture is uniform. You will need your hands for this step to make the dough. The dough should not be sticky and should be firm and easily detaching from the bowl.
5. Flour a clean surface and pile the dough on it. Divide the dough into two parts and use a rolling pin to flatten each dough into 6 millimeters each. Dust with cocoa powder if the dough starts sticking to surfaces.
6. Sandwich one rolled out dough between two parchment papers, and place the second flattened dough on top and arrange aluminum foil on top of this dough.
7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using the dough.
8. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line baking sheets with parchment.
9. Cut the chilled dough into shapes and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.
10. Bake for 11-12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until the edges are set.
11. Allow cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Prepare royal icing and decorate the cooled cookies, adding sprinkles on the fresh icing.

3. Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 65 gm peanut butter
• 350 gm Cadbury Bourneville Dark Chocolate

For garnish: flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Line 2 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, mash the banana with the smooth peanut butter until combined.
3. Place the chocolate in another bowl and microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
4. Drop a teaspoon of the melted chocolate into each muffin liner. Then about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on top. Top with about 1 teaspoon more of the melted chocolate, spreading it to cover the peanut butter layer.
5. Sprinkle each filled muffin cup with a bit of the sea salt while still wet.
6. Freeze the mini cups until completely firm, about 30 minutes.