Chocolate recipe ideas and bake stains that could result

Mmmmm… Chocolate! A multi-billion dollar industry in its own right, chocolate is one of the most popular food types and flavours in the world.

Baking with chocolate can be as fun, as it is messy too! Besides, you can eat some of it while you bake. Once you get the hang of it, you can involve your friends and family in the process and give them a share of the spoils…

Read on for our best baking advice, easy recipe ideas to satisfy even the strongest cravings, and our stain removal tips to help you clean up the mess that will undoubtedly follow!

A Chocoholic’s Dream

Rich and creamy or sweet and gooey; chocolate desserts come in all shapes and sizes. A chocolate dessert is perfect for a fun afternoon with the kids so they can get their hands, and most likely clothes, a little dirty too. Here are some melt-in-the-mouth recipes to try:

• Chocolate brownies

To make 20 brownies, begin by adding 200g plain chocolate and 275g butter to a large heat-resistant bowl, place over a pan of simmering water, and allow to melt.

Once melted, remove your chocolate and butter mixture from the heat and whisk in 325g caster sugar, slowly followed by four eggs and one tsp vanilla extract. Add 175g sieved plain flour and one tsp baking powder and gently whisk.

To finish, add a further 200g of chocolate chunks, nuts or dried fruit and place into a lined baking tray. Bake at 170°C (in a conventional oven) for approximately 25 minutes, until the top of the brownie is firm, but the inside is soft and gooey.

• Chocolate mousse

A devilishly simple recipe that doesn’t even require putting on the oven, you can make this recipe with just eggs and chocolate.

To make 10 portions break 200g plain chocolate into a heat-resistant bowl, place over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt. Separate six eggs and whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until you get stiff white peaks.

Once your chocolate has melted and cooled stir in the six egg yolks before adding this mixture to your egg whites using a metal spoon. Divide into 10 portions and allow to chill in the fridge for a minimum of six hours.

• Chocolate chip cookies

To make your cookie dough, start by mixing 250g plain flour with 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1/2tsp of salt. In a separate bowl, cream together 170g melted butter with 200g dark brown soft sugar and 100g caster sugar.

Beat in one tbsp vanilla extract with one egg and the yolk of a further egg. Then mix in the flour and other dry ingredients before adding 325g chocolate chips.

Spoon two tbsp of your dough onto a lined baking tray for each cookie, and bake (in a conventional oven) for approximately 15 minutes at 190°C.

Chocolate Stain Removal

If your children have managed to get chocolate all over the tablecloth and / or their clothes during their afternoon in the kitchen, here are some stain removal tips that should be able to help:

As chocolate contains oils and fats, the trick is to treat your stain before it dries. Vanish Oxi Action Pre-Treat Spray works to penetrate deep down into the fibres making treating your stain fast and effortless. It does not let the oil and fat to adhere to the fabric, thus making stain removal easier. 

Suitable for all clothes, spray the product directly onto the stained area and the back of the stain, rubbing gently. Leave for up to five minutes before placing your garments in the wash as normal with a scoop of Vanish Gold Oxi Action powder.

Thanks to Vanish treating even the toughest chocolate stains is a piece of cake!