National Chocolate Day: 32 of our best chocolate recipes to celebrate

1/31

Despite its name, three types of chocolate are folded into this rich cookie dough.
Recipe: Ooey-gooey double-chocolate cookies
(Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

2/31

These cookies are terrific plain or sandwiched with raspberry or other jam.
Recipe: Hazelnut-chocolate Linzer cookies
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

3/31

This is old-fashioned cake making.
Recipe: Mint chocolate cake
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

4/31

The brownies are super-rich and not too sweet, perfectly topped with creamy homemade coffee ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
Recipe: BLD’s hot fudge brownie sundae
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Fold sweetened cocoa powder into the pancake batter

5/31

This is envisioned as a dessert. But we won’t tell anyone if you make it for breakfast.
Recipe: Chocolate German pancake
(Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

6/31

A creamy confection of caramel custard, chocolate ganache and whipped sour cream.
Recipe: Brunos budino al caramello
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

For those who like their chocolate intense

7/31

You might not go back to regular ice cream after this.
Recipe: Chocolate gelato
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

8/31

A deliciously dense combination of bittersweet chocolate, dark cocoa and miniature chocolate chips.
Recipe: Midnight chocolate brownie bites
(Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

9/31

Chocolate squared.
Recipe: Chocolate macarons
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

10/31

This cake combines a moist butter bundt cake and a swirl of rich chocolate syrup, with a big handful of chocolate chips thrown in.
Recipe: Buttercake Bakery’s marble cake
(Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

11/31

Start with a chocolate-hazelnut spread, or Nutella.
Recipe: Chocolate-hazelnut swirl ice cream
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Not very sweet and somewhat like a butter cookie

12/31

These dense chocolate cookies combine ample amounts of ground hazelnuts and almonds for rich flavor and a moist, almost brownie-like texture.
Recipe: Tortona chocolate cookies
(Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

13/31

Chocolate pairs with green tea powder in this delicate dessert.
Recipe: Matcha truffles
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Served warm, it's pure comfort on a plate

14/31

This bread pudding is rich with thick, almost pudding-like custard and deep chocolate flavor.
Recipe: Warm chocolate bread pudding
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

15/31

Though famous for its sourdough, Boudin Bakery also makes great, fudge-like brownies.
Recipe: Boudin Bakery’s brownies
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

16/31

It’s like drinking a bar of chocolate.
Recipe: Hot chocolate (chocolat chaud)
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

17/31

Fresh mint takes this dessert to a whole new level.
Recipe: Chocolate mint ice cream
(Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

18/31

Supersized chocolate sandwich cookies.
Recipe: Farmeeoh cookies
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

19/31

This needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.
Recipe: Canter’s chocolate cheesecake
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

20/31

Cake + brownies + fudge = this intense dessert.
Recipe: Chocolate pecan brownie fudge cake
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

21/31

This torte combines smooth layers of creamy bittersweet, milk and white chocolate mousse on top of a rich chocolate cookie crust.
Recipe: Chocolate trio torte
(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

22/31

A delicate, crisp crust envelope a wonderfully ooey-gooey filling.
Recipe: Lucca Cafe’s brownies
(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

23/31

Rich, sophisticated — and unexpected.
Recipe: Bittersweet chocolate tartufo with olive oil gelato and olive oil-fried croutons
(Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)

24/31

You won’t believe how easily this comes together.
Recipe: Lawry’s Nutella chocolate espresso Kahlua mousse
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

A must-have recipe for any chocolate lover

25/31

The cookies are best served the day they are made, but are also delicious the next day.
Recipe: Double-chocolate espresso walnut cookies
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

We recommend doubling this already generous recipe

26/31

Crunchy around the edges but oh-so ooey-gooey tender in the center — and with no shortage of chocolate to boot.
Recipe: Chocolate chip cookies
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

27/31

These tender cookies host a creamy surprise center: a Rolo candy.
Recipe: White chocolate turtle cookies
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A shot of espresso deepens the chocolate flavor

28/31

Crisp yet chewy and oh-so wonderfully rich.
Recipe: Mocha cookies
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

29/31

... and chewy tender on the inside.
Recipe: Andrei’s chocolate cookies
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

30/31

Pears, roasted apples or figs can be added to the brown butter torte recipe adapted from Karen Hatfield of Hatfield’s and the Sycamore Kitchen.
Recipe: Hazelnut brown butter torte with bittersweet chocolate
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Not dense like many flourless chocolate cakes

31/31

Light and heavenly.
Recipe: Flourless chocolate cake
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

By Rene Lynch

Oct. 28, 2013 12:06 PM PT

National Chocolate Day: Greatest food holiday ever?

I know what you’re thinking. Hmmm. What about Thanksgiving? That’s a pretty good food holiday.

True. Except the part where you have to share all that food with... gulp... family.

RECIPES: 32 of our best chocolate recipes

But National Chocolate Day? You’re only limited by your hiding places.

We scoured the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen’s archives for our favorite chocolate recipes. (As you click through the photo gallery above, you’ll find recipe links embedded in the pop-up captions.)

Now, at this point, we could go on and on about chocolate’s health benefits.

Like, how the cocoa bean is rich in flavonoids, which appear to lend us antioxidant superpowers, according to the Cleveland Clinic. And how components of chocolate have been found to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain.

But, seriously. The best reason to eat chocolate is that it’s just flat out awesome.

How are you celebrating National Chocolate Day?

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