Chocolate Pudding

Another chocolate recipe, you ask? I personally believe that you can never have too many chocolate recipes, especially in February.

Chocolate pudding is easier to make than you think. The benefit of the homemade version is that it is more chocolaty than what you would get at the grocery store. It does require a bit of patience as you wait for the mixture to boil and thicken up, but it will get there so don't lose hope. Your perseverance will be rewarded.

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World Peace Cookies

For Christmas last year, a friend asked a group of us if we wanted to participate in a cookie exchange. An abundance of baked goods to share and consume? Of course I was in.

She asked each of us to bake a different type of cookie, which sent me down a rabbit hole trying to decide what to make. I associate shortbread with the holidays and prefer them over a sugar cookie, but wanted to add a little oomph to a plain shortbread.

The conclusion: a chocolate shortbread.

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Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

It's been firmly established that chocolate is my kryptonite, but do you know what makes chocolate even better? Raspberries. I love the flavour of dark chocolate mixed with the tartness of raspberries, so much that I've made a rugelach with this combination.

I first discovered this complementary flavour when I was gifted a chocolate mousse cake filled with a mixed berry coulis, finished with a dark chocolate glaze. It instantly became my favourite cake and in "treat yo' self" mode, purchased it for myself on my birthdays.

I then discovered this recipe and it was like the universe knew exactly what I wanted in a cake. Moist, flavourful chocolate cake? Raspberry filling? Chocolate ganache frosting? Check, check and check. I've made this cake several times and it has never disappointed me.

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Perfect Brownies

A confession: I'm a chocolate fiend. I cannot resist anything made out of chocolate no matter how hard I try. If someone were to ask what my favourite dessert is, chocolate would be at the top of the list.

I don't need a large portion of a chocolate treat – just something dark and rich to hit the spot. A square or two of dark chocolate usually satisfies my cravings.

Brownies are the perfect chocolate dessert, but sometimes they can go oh-so-wrong. I don't like my brownie to be overly sweet or cakey; if I wanted cake, I would eat cake. My perfect brownie is dense, chewy and bittersweet. If that is the description of your ideal brownie, this recipe is for you.

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Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whenever I bake a dessert, whether it is a cookie, cake or bread, I immediately want to add nuts to it because I am a nut-fanatic. I think they add a unique flavour and texture, and can bulk up a meal (like this one, which is still one of my favourite pasta dishes).

However, I have a colleague who is allergic to nuts so whenever I want to bring something into work, I have to remind myself to bake nut-free goods. It's more difficult than you think. I don't know how parents do it these days, making lunches for their kids to bring to their nut-free schools.

When I stumbled upon this tahini chocolate chip cookie recipe, it was an "Aha!" moment. Instead of using peanut or almond butter, it uses sesame seed butter, which gives it that nutty flavour. It's great timing that I'm going through a tahini phase at the same time as the food blogging world.

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Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach

I'm sure it must be obvious by now that I am a huge fan of Smitten Kitchen. I follow many food blogs but I usually end up back at Deb's site because she has the ability to simplify recipes so that they're less intimidating to tackle.


When I first got my hands on her cookbook, I immediately bookmarked this recipe because it contains all of my favourite things: a dark chocolate and raspberry filling encased in a buttery dough. A baked good that must be made immediately, correct?


Then the procrastination kicked in. Months turned into years until finally, due to the fear that my fancy schmancy French jam will expire on me, I finally dove in.

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Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Can I be honest with you? The best part about dragon boat (aside from the exercise, being on the water and the gorgeous view) is the potluck my team puts together at our races. We each take turns bringing a food item, all delicious.


There was a member on our team who made the best cookies. Without a doubt, Jimmy brought cookies to every race because Jimmy cookies were high in demand. Unfortunately for us, he decided to quit dragon boat. The horror, the tears – no more Jimmy cookies!

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