You might be someone who really loves chocolate, but doesn’t always want that super sweet flavour. This dark chocolate sorbet is the perfect balance: you still get that cocoa hit, but without the lip-smacking sugariness. The recipe recommends an ice cream maker, but you could make it work without if you freeze the mixture for a couple of hours, then blend, freeze again, then blend, then freeze, then finally, enjoy.

Get the bitter chocolate sorbet recipe here

Is there a better combination than white chocolate and raspberries? How about adding indulgent, fudgy brownie into the mix as well. Easy and speedy, you can have a tray of these little wonders ready to eat in less than an hour. Perfect in a chocolate emergency. Be patient with the white chocolate and don’t stir it while you’re melting it, or it may well go lumpy. And no one wants lumpy white chocolate.

Get the recipe for dark and white chocolate brownies with raspberries here

The classic combination of strawberries and cream, but with added chocolate. This cake is perfect for a special occasion or treat, and believe us, a little goes a long way. Although it looks amazing and fiddly, it’s surprisingly simple to make, so you can impress everyone with your baking skills (even if they’re limited). You’ll want to get your old-fashioned sandwich tins out for this recipe, as the batter is thin and may escape from springform tins.  

Get the chocolate cake with strawberries and cream recipe here

We’ll be honest, there is a downside to this recipe. Make sure you’re hungry before you make it, as you’ll have to eat it quickly before it melts. Oh no… Second bombshell? This is healthy ice cream. We promise it tastes great though, and it’s a perfect way to use up overripe bananas in something other than banana bread. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also add your favourite fruits and toppings.

Get the recipe for banana and chocolate ice cream here

This is a lovely, rich chocolate cake that’s easy to make. Not everyone has a fancy bundt tin, and if that includes you, it’ll work just as well in a standard tin (you might need to adjust your cooking times slightly). This is less sweet than your usual chocolate cake, with a fabulously bitter and smooth ganache. The whole thing is finished with a liberal scattering of nuts and jewel-like figs sitting regally on top. It’s a real showstopper.

Get the fig and Brazil nut chocolate mud cake recipe here

In real need of a sweet treat, but can’t face baking? This no-bake cake is the recipe for you. Ready to chill in just 10 minutes, it’s also minimal effort. Layered with flavour and texture, it’s packed with crunchy toasted seeds and pops of zing from dried fruit. There’s also a little warmth coming from the chopped ginger cookies. Once ready, it needs to chill in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight. If you slice into little squares, you could serve them as petit fours after dinner with a cup of coffee.

Get the pistachio and tahini chocolate fridge cake recipe here

Pairing chocolate and tahini (sesame seed paste) is all the rage. While you might be used to seeing tahini as an ingredient in hummus, it’s wonderful in baking too, adding a hint of savouriness and nuttiness which stops things getting too sickly sweet. Using dates in the recipe has two benefits as well: it adds a warm base note and means you’re using less processed sugar.

Get the tahini and chocolate date brownies recipe here

Could this recipe be better? It’s simple, but still feels celebratory. It’s fudgy and chocolatey with a delightfully light texture, but also manages not to be too sweet or overly-rich. We love tucking into it warm from the oven (probably because we’re so impatient), but it’s also great a day or two after you’ve made it, served at room temperature.

Get the chestnut and chocolate cake recipe here

French toast might be traditionally eaten at breakfast or brunch, and there is absolutely no judgement from us if you fancy whipping up this dish in the morning, but it also makes a quick and decadent dessert. It takes just 20 minutes to prepare. These perfect little crunchy parcels are wonderful stuffed with dark chocolate, but you can mix up the fillings.

Get the chocolate French toast recipe here

The gorgeous gooeyness of this dessert would be excellent at a dinner party, and its richness means a small slice – especially if it’s after a few courses – would be the perfect end to an evening. It also helps it’s a very easy cake to make, but with the elegance of something considerably more complicated.

Get the flourless chestnut, rum and chocolate cake recipe here

People have some very strong opinions about what makes the perfect chocolate cookie, but this is certainly up there with the best. You might think the bold flavours sound like quite the combination, but the tahini brings a much welcome savouriness to balance the sweetness. After baking, leave them to cool if you can, but we do love to eat one or two warm and fresh from the oven.

Get the brown butter, banana, tahini and chocolate cookie recipe here

Put down the avocado on toast and pancakes, this will be your new go-to brunch treat. Get a pot of coffee ready and settle down for five minutes of pure bliss in baked form. These pistachio, citrus and dark chocolate cinnamon rolls take a classic to new heights and really do have it all. They're best served warm straight from the oven.

Get the pistachio, citrus and dark chocolate cinnamon rolls

If you like your chocolatey desserts quick, easy, delicious and a little bit rustic, you need to make this. Our chocolate torte recipe is simple enough that anyone can manage it, plus it’s gluten-free if you’re catering for any coeliacs. Finish off with a little magic dusting of cocoa powder or icing sugar to take it from rustic to a little more polished.

Get the recipe for chocolate torte here

Here's a showstopper for any occasion. A light chocolate sponge with roasted hazelnuts is filled with whipped cream, flavoured with Irish cream liqueur. The praline decoration is homemade, but you could buy a nutty praline bar instead, if you're not confident making caramel.

Get the recipe for chocolate and hazelnut boozy roulade here

With just three ingredients and a pinch of salt, this is the easiest mousse ever, made in just 15 minutes. As a bonus, it tastes even better eaten the day after you've made it. You can add a drop of liqueur to make it more grown-up, pimp it up by sprinkling edible glitter on, or scatter with toasted, chopped nuts.

Get the recipe for the ultimate chocolate mousse here

A rich, fudgy brownie will always be a crowd-pleaser. Add a dollop of homemade dulce de leche (a salted caramel milk jam), and brownie fans will love you forever. Make the dulce de leche a day ahead – it will also keep for up to a week in the fridge, and any unlikely leftovers are fabulous served with ice cream.

Get the recipe for chocolate brownies with dulce de leche here

For this easy cake, you make one extremely chocolatey mixture. Bake half of the mixture first until cooked through and quite firm, then add the remaining mixture, and bake until it's still slightly squidgy. The result is a crisp base with a fudgy cake topping. Serve with whipped cream and seasonal fruit.

Get the recipe for twice-baked chocolate cake here

If you're a chocolate lover looking for a 10-minute recipe, with no baking required, this is for you. Melted chocolate, agave nectar (which you can substitute with honey or maple syrup), yogurt and chopped roasted hazelnuts all combine to make a creamy dessert. It will keep for up to two days in the fridge.

Get the recipe for chocolate yogurt pots here

A great snack to have with a cuppa, these easy bites are made in the blender. Just bananas, creamed coconut (or butter, if you prefer), oats, dried cherries and cocoa are whizzed up before being baked. You can use any dried fruit you have in the cupboard – dried cranberries would be good.

Get the recipe for chocolate cherry oaty bites here

Here's a lightly spiced carrot cake packed with raisins, orange and chocolate chips. To make it even more desirable, it's covered with a brown butter cream cheese frosting which tastes like a toasty caramel. What's not to love? It will keep for three to four days, and the undecorated cake can be frozen.

Get the recipe for chocolate and cardamom carrot cake here

White chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven, shown to great effect in this recipe. You get a double chocolate hit, with the brownies made with both white chocolate chips and dark chocolate. Marble in a cheesecake mixture, add fresh raspberries and bake.

Get the recipe for chocolate and raspberry cheesecake brownies here

Here's one for the kids, an easy banana bread with milk chocolate, cherries and walnuts (or pecans, if you prefer). Make it even speedier by whizzing up the bananas in a blender, rather than mashing by hand. You can substitute any dried fruit, such as sultanas or chopped dried apricots.

Get the recipe for chocolate and banana bread here 

Otherwise known as a melting middle chocolate pudding, this baked delight with its gooey, warm centre is always a winner. If you don't have dariole moulds (cylinder-shaped moulds used to bake fondants in), use ramekin dishes instead. You don't have to turn them out onto a plate – just pile fresh raspberries and thick cream on top.

Get the recipe for chocolate fondant here

Named because its flavour is reminiscent of a hot chocolate drink, this is a perfect cake for a birthday or other celebration. You'll need three baking tins for the layers, or you can bake the cake in batches. It's filled and covered with a chocolate butter icing, then topped with whipped cream and marshmallows. Definitely one for those with a sweet tooth!

Get the recipe for hot chocolate cake here

Dairy and egg-free, these easy fridge bars are perfect for the vegan chocolate-lover. The surprise ingredient is chickpeas, which are blended in the food processor with dates, peanut butter, raw cacao and vanilla. So easy to make, the mix is set in a tin, then drizzled with melted chocolate. They will keep for up to four days in the fridge.

Get the recipe for chocolate and peanut butter fridge bars here

These little puddings, with their melted white chocolate and orange centres, look great, but are surprisingly simple to do. You make a dark chocolate sponge mixture and place a frozen white chocolate and orange curd disc in the centre. You can prepare them the day before serving and leave in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

Get the recipe for chocolate orange pudding here

This rich chocolate mousse happens to be vegan, though it's doubtful your dairy-eating guests would notice. It takes 10 minutes to prepare – it's all made in the blender – with no cooking required at all. Leave it to set in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving with seasonal berries.

Get the recipe for banana and chocolate mousse here

These soft, chewy cookies will really give you a chocolate fix, with lashings of dark chocolate chips. Easy to make, though you'll need to chill the dough for a few hours before baking. You can freeze the unbaked dough too, for a fresh cookie fix any time – open-freeze on a baking sheet before bagging up, then bake from frozen. You'll need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.

Get the recipe for chocolate chip cookies here

Most shop-bought fudge is tooth-numbingly sweet, but not this homemade version. Adding salt to the fudge gives it more balance, then topping it with dark chocolate makes it dangerously addictive, while the crunchy peanut butter gives it a wonderful texture. It takes 20 minutes to make and it will keep for a week in an airtight container.

Get the recipe for salted peanut chocolate fudge here

This is a very chocolatey version of a surprise pudding. As the pudding bakes in the oven, the mixture separates to form a dense, chocolate sauce underneath a light sponge. It's a simple recipe everyone will love, especially if you serve it with thick cream or ice cream.

Get the recipe for baked double chocolate pudding here

Just imagine... a layer of dark chocolate brownie, covered with a layer of nutty caramel sauce, then topped with a cheesecake filling. You'll need to freeze the sticky nut centre for 30 minutes and the finished brownies need to set overnight in the fridge, but these are so worth the effort.

Get the recipe for triple chocolate cheesecake brownies here

This is a vegan recipe, but you can happily substitute the plant milk for cows' milk and the vegan margarine for butter. The caramel is spread over the base, then topped with a rich, dark chocolate ganache. You'll need to leave it to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Get the recipe for chocolate caramel tart here

If cherries are out of season, use jarred or frozen cherries instead – it will still taste divine. This is a baked cheesecake, which tend to be less cloying than fresh, and is topped with sour cream and chocolate curls. With a simple biscuit base, it has to be chilled for a few hours before serving.

Get the recipe for Black Forest chocolate cherry cheesecake here

Despite the name, this is still an indulgent chocolate cake. It's infused with cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg for a warming, spiced twist. Save time by grating the courgettes in your food processor. Once cooled, drizzle it with dark chocolate for even more indulgence.

Get the recipe for chocolate and courgette cake here

This lovely cake is made using malted chocolate powder for both the sponge and chocolate butter icing. The bonus is you can freeze the icing and cake separately, then thaw both before filling and decorating. 

Get the recipe for malted chocolate cake here

Here's a brilliant version of a chocolate fruit and nut bar. It's a mixture of toasted nuts, dried fruits, chopped biscuits and melted chocolate, which is then set in the fridge. It's a great little snack to have on hand with an afternoon coffee or tea.

Get the recipe for chocolate tiffin here

There are a few steps to making this lovely tart, but none are difficult. The base is a Greek pastry made with olive oil and orange, which, once baked, is soaked with a cinnamon and honey syrup. The tart is then filled with dark chocolate ganache and topped with crushed, roasted nuts. Serve with a homemade hazelnut ice cream, or a shop-bought one, we're not fussy.

Get the recipe for chocolate ganache tart here

A retro favourite is given a makeover with chocolate ice cream laced with amaretto liqueur, scooped into a chocolate sponge, then topped with an amaretto meringue. You can either use a blow torch to colour the meringue or you can pop it into a hot oven for a few minutes. 

Get the recipe for chocolate and amaretto baked Alaska here

These buttery cookies are filled with chunks of dark chocolate and chopped walnuts. You could also use pecan nuts or almonds. Like all cookie doughs, you need to chill it before slicing. It also freezes well.

Get the recipe for chocolate chip and walnut cookies here

You'll need to leave this indulgent cheesecake to set overnight in the fridge, but it takes less than half an hour to put together. The base is a classic biscuit base, which is topped with cream cheese, cream and melted white chocolate. To make the chocolate shavings, simply use a potato peeler and a whole bar of thick white chocolate.

Get the recipe for white chocolate cheesecake here

A cake to make all year-round, it uses frozen pitted cherries instead of fresh. It's big – it serves around 12, but with a soft sponge, studded with chocolate chips and cherries, you'll want it all for yourself. It's also very simple to make and great to have as a snack.

Get the recipe for dark chocolate and cherry sheet bake here

It may be a Christmas tradition, but there's no reason not to make this rich chocolate log all year-round. It has a soft sponge, which is filled with a chocolate mousse that's also used to cover it. You could add crushed raspberries to the filling too. It's best made the day before serving.

Get the recipe for chocolate yule log here

A great recipe to whip up, taking 30 minutes in total. And it's vegan. Chocolate and orange is a crowd-pleasing combination and to add a bit of decorative flair, place a thin rind of orange on the top.

Get the vegan chocolate orange cupcake recipe here