Cocoa

Chocolate Cake with fluffy Marshmallow Frosting is a fabulous birthday treat for children and adults alike. To make a layer cake, simply double the recipe below and use two cake pans.

It's best to make and assemble this stunning layer cake at least one day in advance to let the chocolate, nut, and brandy flavors meld.

These chocolate wafer cookies are like the kind that tends to be sold in a sleeve, since they're delicate and can't be manhandled. They're fabulous alone, but are show-stoppers when they're used to make Chocolate Sandwich Cookies . I bet you could get your kids to eat all manner of vegetables just by dangling the promise of these babies at the end of a meal. Not that I've ever done that.

How they fight fat Greek yogurt's combo of protein, fat and carbs helps burn belly fat; the creamy stuff delivers twice as much protein as other yogurts do, so you'll feel more satiated.

Adapted from Bonnie Brae, Denver, CO If you love chocolate malted milk balls, this is the recipe for you. The malt flavor of the candies is echoed by the malted milk powder in the ice cream.

The recipe for red velvet cake has been around since the 1920s, when the cake was the signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The cake captured my heart-and it plays hard to get. It took me forever to come up with a magical adaptation that would capture the richness of its namesake. These bars get their health benefits, velvety texture, and deep red color from a paste made of beets, red beans, cocoa powder, and red food coloring. I took a slight departure from the traditional red velvet cake flavor by adding a touch of almond extract, and that, my friends, is where the magic happened.

About seven minutes of beating is all it takes to turn water, sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar into a fluffy, soft marshmallowy frosting.

For a few years now I've been a judge at the Whirlpool Accubake Unique Cake Contest, which is similar to the Pillsbury Bake-Off. A chocolate cake with a pecan and butterscotch toffee topping called Chocolate Coffee Toffee Cake by Elizabeth Kirsch from Pennsylvania won first place in 2002 and the $10,000 prize, which she donated to Heifer International. Elizabeth told me she made her cakes in glass canning jars and would tuck one into her husband's business trip luggage so he wouldn't miss his favorite cake while he was out of town. This simplified version of her cake would be perfect to take to a picnic or even a backyard barbecue

When we cook with friends at Silvia Baracchi's school, Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun, we often whip up this very simple dessert. I never thought of chocolate as seasonal, but in Tuscany, it's considered more appropriate for fall and winter. Seldom do you find it on a summer menu, perhaps because we have a plethora of plums, melons, and white peaches for hot weather dolce. With this, Silvia suggests a full-bodied sweet red wine with enough alcohol to "clean your mouth." Her choices are a passito from Pantelleria or an aged Recioto. I'm partial to the passito from Arnaldo Capraia.

These rich treats aren't cookie-jar cookies—they're best the day they're made.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. This recipe makes enough vanilla elixir, chile elixir, and coconut sea salt for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and store the salt in an airtight container at room temperature (they will last up to two weeks). To make the Azteca alcoholic, add two ounces of rum or vodka to each drink.

Slightly bitter beer, ice cream, and bittersweet cocoa syrup make for a refreshing float that's not too sweet. Any leftover syrup will keep in the fridge for up to one month.

The batter for this classic chocolate soufflé can made the day before, so all you have to do is bake and serve.

Crispy, oversize cookies with a hint of butterscotch flavor.

These are some of the best brownies we've ever had—fudgy in the middle and chewy on the outside with a shiny, crackly top. The browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor.

This recipe took almost three weeks of trial and error before I perfected it. But the fantastic result was well worth the aggravation! With three kinds of chocolate for flavor—cocoa powder, cacao nibs, and chocolate chips—you won't miss the fat and sugar in the standard version of this most beloved cookie. Pour a glass of (skim) milk and get happy.

Yes, you are reading the ingredients list correctly: there are black beans in these brownies. You really have to taste the brownies to believe them. The beans add moisture and texture not to mention fiber and protein. These brownies have such a great fudgy texture because the cocoa powder and just a little espresso powder are the only dry ingredients (besides a bit of Truvia). For an extra jolt of chocolate flavor and about 15 more calories stir 1/4 cup dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs (such as Kopali Organics) into the batter just before pouring it into the pan. These brownies are even better the next day.

The Product: Earthy-fruity spice powder with a mild kick.
The Payoff: Hot chocolate with complex, subtle flavor and an intriguing, gentle spiciness.