To die for: 32 of our best chocolate recipes

These cookies are terrific plain or sandwiched with raspberry or other jam.
Recipe: Hazelnut-chocolate Linzer cookies
  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

This is old-fashioned cake making.
Recipe: Mint chocolate cake
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

The brownies are super-rich and not too sweet, perfectly topped with creamy homemade coffee ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
Recipe: BLD’s hot fudge brownie sundae
  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

This is envisioned as a dessert. But we won’t tell anyone if you make it for breakfast.
Recipe: Chocolate German pancake
  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

A creamy confection of caramel custard, chocolate ganache and whipped sour cream.
Recipe: Brunos budino al caramello
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

You might not go back to regular ice cream after this.
Recipe: Chocolate gelato
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

A deliciously dense combination of bittersweet chocolate, dark cocoa and miniature chocolate chips.
Recipe: Midnight chocolate brownie bites
  (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)

Chocolate squared.
Recipe: Chocolate macarons
  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

This cake combines a moist butter bundt cake and a swirl of rich chocolate syrup, with a big handful of chocolate chips thrown in.
Recipe: Buttercake Bakery’s marble cake
  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Start with a chocolate-hazelnut spread, or Nutella.
Recipe: Chocolate-hazelnut swirl ice cream
  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

These dense chocolate cookies combine ample amounts of ground hazelnuts and almonds for rich flavor and a moist, almost brownie-like texture.
Recipe: Tortona chocolate cookies
  (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

Chocolate pairs with green tea powder in this delicate dessert.
Recipe: Matcha truffles
  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

This bread pudding is rich with thick, almost pudding-like custard and deep chocolate flavor.
Recipe: Warm chocolate bread pudding
  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Though famous for its sourdough, Boudin Bakery also makes great, fudge-like brownies.
Recipe: Boudin Bakery’s brownies
  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

It’s like drinking a bar of chocolate.
Recipe: Hot chocolate (chocolat chaud)
  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Fresh mint takes this dessert to a whole new level.
Recipe: Chocolate mint ice cream
  (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

Supersized chocolate sandwich cookies.
Recipe: Farmeeoh cookies
  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

This needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.
Recipe: Canter’s chocolate cheesecake
  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Cake + brownies + fudge = this intense dessert.
Recipe: Chocolate pecan brownie fudge cake
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

This torte combines smooth layers of creamy bittersweet, milk and white chocolate mousse on top of a rich chocolate cookie crust.
Recipe: Chocolate trio torte
  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

A delicate, crisp crust envelope a wonderfully ooey-gooey filling.
Recipe: Lucca Cafe’s brownies
  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Rich, sophisticated — and unexpected.
Recipe: Bittersweet chocolate tartufo with olive oil gelato and olive oil-fried croutons
  (Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)

You won’t believe how easily this comes together.
Recipe: Lawry’s Nutella chocolate espresso Kahlua mousse
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

The cookies are best served the day they are made, but are also delicious the next day.
Recipe: Double-chocolate espresso walnut cookies
  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Crunchy around the edges but oh-so ooey-gooey tender in the center — and with no shortage of chocolate to boot.
Recipe: Chocolate chip cookies
  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

These tender cookies host a creamy surprise center: a Rolo candy.
Recipe: White chocolate turtle cookies
  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Crisp yet chewy and oh-so wonderfully rich.
Recipe: Mocha cookies
  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

... and chewy tender on the inside.
Recipe: Andrei’s chocolate cookies
  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Pears, roasted apples or figs can be added to the brown butter torte recipe adapted from Karen Hatfield of Hatfield’s and the Sycamore Kitchen.
Recipe: Hazelnut brown butter torte with bittersweet chocolate
  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Light and heavenly.
Recipe: Flourless chocolate cake
  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)