5 Luxurious Holiday Baking Recipes With To'ak Chocolate

Need a little inspiration this holiday season? A recipe to impress? A new chocolate-filled tradition? From crunchy biscotti to heavenly brownies, cakes, and even a babka, here are five of our favorite holiday baking recipes using To’ak’s 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder—for every level of baker. 

• Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti (Gluten-Free): Intermediate
• Lavender Brownies (Vegan): Easy
• Flourless Chocolate & Blackcurrant Cake (Gluten-Free): Intermediate
• Chocolate & Earl Grey Mug Cake: Easy
• Chocolate & Cardamom Babka: Intermediate

*Recipes provided by Kristell Gathoye

1. Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti (Gluten-Free)

Chestnut and almond flour make for a nutty, crumbly, and gluten-free cookie, perfect for pairing with your morning coffee or evening drinking chocolate. We think Santa will also approve. 

Level: Intermediate | Makes 20-30 biscotti

Chocolate Pistacchio Biscotti Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (40 g) To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 1/2 cup (80 g) chestnut flour
• 1-1/3 cups (130 g) almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup (170 g) sugar
• Zest of a full orange
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup (120 g) de-shelled pistachios
• Icing sugar for shaping

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl (cacao, flours, baking powder, sugar, and zest). 

3. Add the eggs and mix.

4. Add the pistachios.

5. Cover your work surface with some icing sugar.

6. Place the dough on the surface, cut it, and shape it into 2 logs that are about 2 inches (5 cm) wide. (Don’t sprinkle too much icing sugar or it will dry out the dough.) Place the logs on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

7. Take them out of the oven and let them cool a little. Then slice the logs diagonally with a bread knife to make 1-inch thick slices.

8. Place the biscotti flat on the baking sheet and bake for 10 more minutes.

9. Let them cool on a rack before enjoying or storing in an airtight container.

2. Lavender Brownies (Vegan)

Boost your brownie game with this easy and elegant vegan recipe that balances the intensity of dark chocolate with a gentle hint of lavender.

Prep Time: 20 min | Baking Time: 25-30 min  
Level: Easy: Kid-friendly | Makes 9 squares - 7-inch x 7-inch pan used

Lavender Brownie Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (70 g) extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1 cup (180 g) sugar
• 2/3 cup (100 g) To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 3 Tbsp (45 g) oat milk
• 3-4 drops vanilla extract
• 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp dried lavender

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Add the coconut oil to a pan with the sugar and cacao powder. Heat until everything is melted. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.

3. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift it into the wet mixture. Mix well to form a batter.

4. Add the lavender.

5. Pour the batter into an 7-inch x 7-inch square paan lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check if it's ready with a small knife or stick—it should come out clean.

Recipe Variations:

• Up the indulgence: Replace the lavender with swirls of peanut butter.
• Add an energy kick: Add a couple spoons of espresso coffee into the wet mix.
• Go nuts: Add any nut to the batter.
• Don’t have lavender? Use lavender extract or rose extract to keep the floral touch. 

3. Flourless Chocolate & Blackcurrant Cake 

You’ll need to use To’ak’s 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder twice in this luxurious gluten-free cake—for the batter and the ganache.

Prep Time: 1 hour | Baking Time: 25 min  
Level: Intermediate | Makes an 8-inch cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (115 g) butter
• 1-1/3 cups (200 g) 100% To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 3/4 cup (170 g) sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 eggs

Ganache and Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup (150 g) 100% To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 2/3 cup (150 g) cream
• 1/4 cup (40 g) sugar
• Blackcurrants or blackcurrant jam

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (175°C).

2. Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by greasing it lightly or placing a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. 

3. Melt the butter in a pan or microwave. Then, dilute the cacao powder and make a batter.

4. Stir in the sugar and salt.

5. On the side, beat the eggs until they are fluffy and have doubled in volume.

6. Gently incorporate the eggs into the chocolate mixture.

7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

8. During this time, if you’re using fresh blackcurrants, prepare your jam by cooking the fruits with sugar and then reducing it until it thickens a little.

9. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool down for 5 minutes. Once it stops steaming, place it in the fridge to fully cool.

10. Prepare your ganache. Warm the cream in a pot until it begins to simmer. Pour it onto the chocolate and mix until homogeneous and smooth.

11. Take the cake out of the fridge and slice it in half.

12. Spread the jam on the bottom layer and replace the top half.

13. Pour the ganache on the cake and use a spatula to even it out.

14. Place the cake in the fridge to set the ganache before serving.

4. Chocolate & Earl Grey Mug Cake

Forget the whole cake. This quick and easy five-ingredient treat can be made for one or multiplied for the whole family. Serve in a festive mug for extra holiday fun.

 

Prep Time: 15 min | Baking time: 1-2 min
Level: Easy | Makes 1 mug—multiply for the whole family

Chocolate & Earl Grey Mug Cake Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp (10 g) 100% To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Earl grey tea leaves

Recipe:

1. Melt the butter and add the tea leaves. Continue warming on low heat for 5 minutes. Then, let it sit for 10 minutes. Strain the butter through a sieve to get rid of the leaves.

2. Place all the ingredients in a mug.

3. Microwave at 1000 W for 1-2 minutes. (Check it after 1 minute. The cooking time will vary depending on your microwave.)

4. Carefully remove the mug from the microwave, let it cool a little, and enjoy.

Recipe Variations:

• Add a dollop of cream on top.
• Instead of the earl grey infusion, add nuts or spices to the batter.

5. Chocolate & Cardamom Babka

Made with soft brioche dough and a rich chocolate filling, this spin on the classic sweet bread is a beaut. Be prepared: you’ll need to prepare the dough the night before.

Prep Time: 15 + 30 min | Rest overnight
Level: Intermediate | Makes 1 babka

Brioche Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup (150 g) cold milk
• 2 cups (250 g) bread flour
• 2/3 tsp (4 g) salt
• 1/4 cup (40 g) sugar
• 1 Tbsp (11 g) fresh yeast
• 1/4 cup (50 g) butter

Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (60 g) soft butter
• 2/3 cup (120 g) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (80 g) To'ak 100% Full Spectrum Cacao Powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
  

Recipe:

1. For the brioche, place the cold milk in a mixing bowl and add all the dry ingredients on top of the milk. Ensure that the sugar, salt, and yeast do not touch each other.

2. Mix on slow speed for 3 minutes then on medium for 10 minutes until the dough comes off the sides and is stretchy. You should be able to stretch it enough to see through it

3. Add the cold butter and let it knead on medium speed. It's ready when all the butter is mixed in and the dough comes off the sides.

4. Make a ball and cover it. Place it in the fridge overnight.

5. The next day, prepare your filling by mixing the soft butter, sugar, cacao powder, and cardamom.

6. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle of around 12-inch x 15-inch.

7. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Be careful but quick—as the dough warms up, it will get harder to spread.

8. Starting at the longer end, tightly roll the dough into a cylinder. Then, slice it in half lengthwise. This will expose the layers and the filling. Intertwine the 2 strands together (braiding them) and place in a round oven tray like a flower crown. You can also leave it straight and use a loaf pan.

9. Leave to rise in a warm place (around 80°F) for 45 minutes. A switched-off oven with a bowl of hot water works very well.

10. Bake in the oven for 25 min at 350°F (175°C) or until it starts to look golden on the top.

11. For a glossy finish, make a quick syrup using 1 part water for 1.3 parts sugar.

Why use high-quality ingredients in your baking?

We were honored to be featured in a HuffPost piece that talked with pastry chefs about the type of ingredients they use. The consensus: "Never buy cheap chocolate." According to executive pastry chef Yoongjung Oh, better-quality baking ingredients “make a noticeable difference in the flavor, texture, and aroma of desserts.” In other words, better ingredients yield better desserts.