Chocolate Desserts

For example, there is the chocolate dessert recipe known as the double chocolate chunk cookie recipe. For this you'll need: 2 cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup Nestle Toll House baking cocoa; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup butter or margarine, softened; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 2/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; and 1 ¾ cups Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chunks.

First you preheat the oven to 350°F, wait for it to heat up properly, and then combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until it is perfectly creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, stir in chunks, then drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

All you need to do now is let them bake for about 9-11 minutes or until you can see that the cookies are puffed and the centers are set but still soft. Then allow them to cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes after you take them out of the oven, and remove to wire racks so that they can cool completely.

There are so many different recipes out there, and depending on your own personal preferences, as well as those of the people that will be eating them with you, you are sure to be able to come up with some really fantastic ideas.

La Maison du Chocolat: Transcendent Desserts By The Legendary Chocolatier
Every exquisite delicacy created by the world-renowned La Maison du Chocolat is unrivaled chocolate perfection. Made only of the purest, freshest ingredients, legendary chocolatier Robert Linxe's mouthwatering confections are noble, artistic creations that capture the essence of chocolate in its truest form and exalt its taste in every memorable, undiluted bite. Now, for the first time ever, Linxe reveals his bewitching chocolate dessert recipes and chocolate-making knowledge in this sumptuously photographed volume. Here, he shares his philosophy, his vision as artisan-creator, his high standards of quality, his use of the purest ingredients, and his chocolate innovations and secrets. With 65 recipes-all beloved classics with the remarkable Linxe touch-from the ultimate chocolate profiterole to the most tender chocolate cake-this impressive volume is the definitive word on the subject and an irresistible treat for cooks, brides-to-be, and the millions of chocophiles worldwide.
www.amazon.com

The Art of Chocolate: Techniques & Recipes For Simply Spectacular Desserts & Confections
Chicago teacher Elaine Gonzalez and photographer Frankie Frankeny have produced a beautiful and useful book of techniques and recipes called 'The Art of Chocolate'. In addition to cakes, desserts and confections (including half-a-dozen truffle creations), Gonzales creates chocolate leaves, flours, cups, baskets and boxes. It's for chocolate lovers of an artistic bent.
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Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme
Although Hermé is best known for his multilayered extravaganzas, this collection was written and tested for American home kitchens. So while there are a few mind-boggling, taste-bud-stretching experiences like Plaisir Sucre (hazelnut dacquoise, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate whipped cream, sheets of tempered milk chocolate, and a crunchy chocolate praline spread), most of the recipes are more than manageable, and just as scrumptious. Lacy Coffee-Cocoa Nougatine Cookies are crisp and delicate and extremely flavorful. The Chocolate Macaroons are the perfectly smooth, ganache-filled ones you see all over Paris, and with Hermé and Greenspan to walk you through the steps, the best results are guaranteed. Pistachio Waffles with Chocolate Cream are crispy outside and moist and tender inside, and the combination of hot and cold makes them even more memorable. Chocolate Rice Pudding is far from old-fashioned, and while it makes a delectable stand-alone dessert, Hermé suggests making it part of a truly grand dessert: his Pear and Fresh Mint Tempura with Chocolate Rice Pudding is an amazing combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures.
www.amazon.com