These three chocolatey delights are pure comfort in every gooey bite!  

Gluten-free butter bean chocolate cake 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
5 eggs
85g butter
80g dates, soaked in 1 cup boiling water, drained
30g cocoa, plus extra to dust
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
2. Mix all the ingredients with a hand blender. Pour batter into the cake tin.
3. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
4. Decorate with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Juliette Bisset // HMimages.co.za 

Dark chocolate soufflé with white chocolate sauce 

Serves 8 

Ingredients 

¼ cup (60ml) corn flour
2 cups (500ml) full cream milk
½ cup (125ml) sugar
Pinch of salt
200g dark chocolate, chopped
100g milk chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated   

For the pouring ganache   

120g white chocolate
¼ cup (60ml) cream
1 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out 
¼ cup (60ml) melted butter 
¼ cup (60ml) cocoa powder   

Method 

1. For the chocolate crème pâtissière, place the corn flour in a small bowl and add ⅓ cup (80ml) of the milk and mix into a slurry. 
2. Heat the remaining milk, half the sugar and salt on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add chocolate and heat until melted. Set
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar and egg yolks. Whisk until light and fluffy. 
4. Pour about ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining chocolate milk mixture and mix well.
5. Heat mixture over medium heat and add the corn flour slurry, while whisking.
6. Cook until bubbling, about 10-12 minutes. 
7. Pour the mixture onto a deep plate, cover with clingfilm on the surface and refrigerate until cold.
8. For the white chocolate pouring ganache, finely chop the chocolate and heat the cream until steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add vanilla seeds and stir until the chocolate is melted. Cover and set aside until needed.
9. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
10. To prepare the ramekins, brush upwards with melted butter (this encourages the souffle to rise upwards). Dust with cocoa powder and shake off excess.
11. Whip the chocolate crème pâtissière and set aside. 
12. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold through the crème pâtissière using a large metal spoon. Be careful not to overwork it and knock out the air. 
13. Fill the ramekins ⅔ full and bake for 10-12 minutes. 
14. Serve immediately with white chocolate pouring ganache. (Heat the pouring ganache in bursts of 10 seconds in the microwave to reheat, if needed.)

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons 

Chocolate chip and Oreo brownie bars 

Serves 12  

Ingredients 

250g unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla essence
2½ cups flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
176g pack Oreos
½ box brownie mix, prepared as per packet instructions 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a deep 30x20cm baking tin with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, followed by the vanilla, and mix lightly. Add the flour, bicarb and salt, and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Press dough into the baking tin. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Arrange the Oreos on top of the baked base in a single layer. Spread the brownie batter on top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top looks slightly underbaked, but the edges are golden brown.
6. Allow the brownie to cool for a while, then turn out of the tin and cut into 12 bars.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za