While chocolate cake may always be a crowd pleaser at dinner parties or other celebrations, it can also feel like a cop-out to a creative host or hostess. If you’re tired of presenting the same old chocolate cakes, puddings, or ice creams to your guests for dessert, try these suggestions for some unexpected chocolate dessert recipes. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous. Dessert is all about having fun!

Revamp Other Dessert Recipes with Chocolate

An easy way to make a fun, new dessert is to incorporate chocolate into other familiar dessert recipes. Try putting dark chocolate chips and walnuts into a berry cobbler, or spruce up after dinner coffee with some chocolate liqueur then top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. If you’re going light, add some extra life to an angel food cake with some natural unsweetened cocoa powder and serve with fresh raspberries on top.

Leave the Chocolate to The Whim Guests

A really simple chocolate dessert recipe is chocolate fondue. Let your guests go to town dipping an assortment of fruits, cakes, cookies, and nuts into a nice fondue. Spread out a few different fondue pots and play with flavors. Try a spicy chocolate fondue by adding just a touch of chili powder, or some peanut butter for a heavenly treat. Don’t limit your dippings to fruit. Cut up an assortment of bite-sized bits of cakes, brownies, candies, marshmallows, even cheesecakes.

Spicing Up Some Favorites

If you do like the idea of a cake, but want to get away from traditional recipes, spice things up a little with a modern chocolate cake dessert recipe. Add some fruit or berries to the bottom of your bake pan and create a chocolate-upside-down cake with a nice coffee or caramel glaze. Create a layered chocolate cake, alternating layers of caramel sauce and homemade whipped peanut butter topping, served with vanilla ice cream.

Frozen Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Plan ahead and whip up a frozen chocolate dessert recipe. Try a banana split with frozen chocolate covered bananas. If you have an ice cream maker, try a nice chocolate and fruit sorbet. If you’re a fan of Smores, don’t worry about the fire, try a frozen version instead. Spread some melted chocolate and marshmallow cream between two graham crackers, wrap each smore in foil, and stick in the freezer. This is an easy chocolate dessert recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

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Guide - The largest chocolate bar ever made weighed over 5,000 pounds and was made in Italy in 2000. The largest slab of fudge was over 2,000 pounds and was made in Canada.

This first one was not my invention; I picked it up while working on a fish boat during Herring season a few years ago. The cook had come back from grocery shopping and I was watching him and a deckhand stowing the grub. I noticed that he had a half dozen cans of chocolate icing. You know the pre-made stuff you put on instant cakes. I said “great we’re going to have chocolate cake for desert”. He said “no, this is for snacks”. I told him that I didn’t think anyone would want to scoop chocolate icing out of a can for a snack. He explained that you use it as a sandwich spread!

Guide - Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate ensures there are no harmful pesticide residues.

The next day saw Danny, one of the deckhands whipping up a sandwich. I made one for myself and it was not bad but I didn’t think I would have another one. Later that day I was thinking about it and decided I would try another one, only this time I added peanut butter. Now that was a sandwich! It was terrific. I told everyone about it and we ran out of peanut butter!

We also started to use the stuff on pancakes! Warm it up a little in the microwave, stirring as it heats. You need to be able to pour it on. Not to bad! The nice thing about this stuff is it is quick and of course if you don’t like chocolate there are lots of other flavors.

Guide - Make your own chocolates. It’s easy to make many chocolate delights yourself, with the exact ingredients you want.

The next shopping trip we had to get a dozen cans of chocolate, and included a couple of my favorite – dark chocolate. We also decided to pick up a few other flavors to play with. It is a good thing Herring season is only about a month long, any longer and we would have all gained about 10 pounds. Wait until I tell you about our pancakes…

Guide - ‘It’s not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate.

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Guide - ‘Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always tells a little white lie.

Chocolate is produced from the beans of the cacao tree, which originated in South America, and now grows in Africa, the West Indies, the tropical parts of America, and the Far West. Used as the main ingredient in numerous recipes, chocolate constitutes one of the most loved materials known in today’s food world. Children and adults both appreciate chocolate’s unique aroma, taste, color and texture and prefer it in comparison to other foods.

The cacao beans, from which chocolate is produced, are large pods -once harvested, both the pulp from the pods and the bean are allowed to ferment in the sun. The pulp evaporates and the bean develops its chocolaty flavor. Later, the outer skin is removed and the beans are left in the sun for a little longer or roasted. Finally they are shelled and the kennels are used for making cocoa and chocolate.

Guide - Strawberrys dipped in chocolate can be a delectable treat. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Place the strawberry upside down with the point in the air.

Chocolate once purchased has to be stored in a cool, dry place, away from heat or direct sunlight. Most chocolate can be stored for about a year. When it is stored in the refrigerator or freezer, chocolate can last even longer, but one should be careful with its wrapping as it might pick up flavors from other foods if not properly handled.

If you enjoy using chocolate in your meals, you have to be aware that it should not be melted over direct heat, except when melted with other ingredients, and even then heat should be very low. For easily melting chocolate, begin by breaking it into smaller equal-sized pieces (chunks) of chocolate and placing them into a heat-proof bowl or pot. Then you should place the bowl or pot over a pan of hot water, making sure the base of the bowl is not in direct contact with the boiling water. Once the chocolate starts to melt, stir gently and if necessary leave over the water a little longer. No drops of water or steam should come into contact with the melted chocolate at any time as it will solidify.

After your chocolate is melted, you can use it to create anything, from chocolate cookies and treats to cakes and beautiful decorations. Keep in mind that chocolate sets best at 65oF although it will set, more slowly, in a slightly hotter room. Finally, be careful when you place chocolate into the refrigerator especially after the melting process as it might develop a white bloom.

Guide - Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white sugar or other sweetener. Dark ‘bittersweet’ chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa solids (usually the label will state the exact percentage) have less sugar than semisweet or milk chocolate and also have the greatest health benefits.

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