You can make a surprising number of well-loved desserts with chocolate. From puddings and cakes to fondues, truffles and pies, there’s no end to variety that you get to try. The great news is that these summer chocolate desserts are easy to make and they are incredibly tasty! Start experimenting with these 10 ideas here.
1. Hot chocolate fudge cakes
Sift ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup cocoa, 5 teaspoons of espresso mix, a teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Beat ¼ cup of unsalted butter in a separate bowl and add ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, stirring until the ingredients blend. Fold the dry flour mixture in. Put dollops of the batter in ramekins, refrigerate a few hours and then bake.
2. Chocolate cupcakes
Mix ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup butter in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in ½ cup egg substitute and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Fold in a cup of all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup of cocoa, a teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt and blend. Stir in an ounce of chopped chocolate and bake in cupcake pans.
3. Creamy chocolate pudding
Blend ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons each of cocoa and cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. With the flame turned low, whisk as you add in 2 cups of low-fat milk and 1 cup of fat-free, evaporated milk. The mixture should simmer and turn thick after a few minutes. Turn the flame off, add in 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix everything in, chill in the refrigerator and serve.
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4. No-bake chocolate cookies
Pour a cup of chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave at high power until the chips are almost all melted. Add in a cup of Rice Krispies and ½ cup chopped almonds dried cherries and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract while you stir. Spoon dollops of this mixture out on a large plate and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.
5. Chocolate meringue pie
Mix ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan and mix in 4 ounces chocolate chips and 2 cups of fat-free milk. Boil for a minute as you stir, and turn the flame off. Whisk in 3 well-beaten egg yolks and cook for another 5 minutes as you stir. For the meringue, you’ll need to mix 3 egg whites, cream of tartar, ½ cup of sugar and vanilla in a pot. Beat the mixture until it’s soft and foamy. Fill both the chocolate and the meringue in a pie shell.
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6. Bourbon truffles
Combine 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of evaporated whole milk and 1 tablespoon of cane syrup in a saucepan and boil over high heat till the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat off and stir in a tablespoon of bourbon, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 ounces of chopped chocolate. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, refrigerate for a few hours and roll into balls before serving.
7. Chocolate-Frangelico fondue
Mix ½ cup of half-and-half, ½ cup of fat-free milk and 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a saucepan and heat until the chocolate dissolves. Stir in a cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. After 10 minutes on the stove and constant stirring, you should have a smooth, thick mixture. Stir in 3 tablespoons of Frangelico liqueur and serve in a fondue pot.
8. Chocolate crème
Break 2 large eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly. Put 2 cups of fat-free milk, ¾ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa, vanilla and a dash of salt in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the egg to the saucepan while whisking. Pour into ramekins and bake at 350°F .
9. Chocolate bread pudding
Cut up Hawaiian sweet round bread into half-inch cubes. Bake 2 cups of these bread cubes for 5 minutes at 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl, mix ⅔ cup reduced fat milk, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, a tablespoon of Kahlúa liqueur, vanilla extract and 1 beaten egg, and whisk well. Toss in the toasted bread and leave in the refrigerator for a few hours. Spoon into ramekins and serve.
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10. Chocolate sauce
Mix ½ cup of sugar, ⅓ cup of dark cocoa and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and a cup of fat-free milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and stir until sugar dissolves. Add vanilla extract and 2 ounces of chopped dark chocolate. Serve chilled.
If you are pressed for time but still need a treat, any one of these ideas will work. Do you have some other summer chocolate dessert recipes to share with us?