Chocolate

Let's be honest, when it comes to dessert we usually just want something with chocolate or vanilla—like one of these 20 sweet treats, for example

Buttermilk brings slight tang and moisture to the batter, while olive oil offers fruity richness. Choose a mild-flavored (not too peppery) type of oil for these waffles.

Use two arbol chiles for a hotter, slow-burning mousse.

No ice cream maker? Make this with the best chocolate ice cream you can find—but whatever you do, don’t skimp on the delirium-inducing coffee crumbs.

The fragrant richness of coconut oil and the tenderizing power of buttermilk make this the ultimate chocolate pound cake recipe.

A glossy chocolate glaze is one of the simplest ways to dress up a cake. For a pourable consistency and photo-worthy results, follow these tips

Rick and Michael Mast's artisanal, bean-to-bar chocolate is used in high-end restaurants and can be found at well-curated markets worldwide.

The Mast Brothers bring the Valentine's Day magic with mousse-filled popovers and irresistibly chocolatey waffles.

Forget milk—beer is the perfect pairing for this chocolate stout layer cake. Take it up a notch with the rich chocolate frosting.

“The great thing about this cake? It's not fussy. You can just pour the glaze over and it sets. Done.” —Rick Mast

The addition of an anise-flavored liqueur turns this hot cocoa into the liquid version of chocolate-covered licorice.

Otherwise known as the triple-threat chocolate cookie: melted, chopped, and drizzled. You’re welcome.

When making the candied almonds, stir them until the caramel transforms into a dry, crystallized coating.

These savory popovers are made with cheddar cheese, which keeps the dessert from veering into overly sweet territory.

This bark combines unprocessed cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, and chopped pistachios for a crackly texture and bittersweet chocolate for its antioxidant virtues. Storing it in the fridge will give it extra snap, though the chocolate may acquire a dull bloom in there.

More proof that salt makes any dessert taste better—we’d even top these puddings with crushed potato chips.

If a fudgy brownie and chewy chocolate chip cookie had a baby, it would be this decadent creation.

Oregon Bark, bittersweet chocolate wrapped around English toffee, will change how you feel about bark

This holiday confection is both sweet and salty.

This dough freezes well for make-ahead slice-and-bake convenience.

Poach the figs in Calvados until just softened: Overcooking or intense boiling will render them a tough instead of lush addition to this chocolate torte.

Mayonnaise in the batter isn’t as weird as it sounds—it’s just eggs and oil, after all. It’s also why this cake is so moist.

Once you master the sufganiyot (click for recipe) technique, you can fill it with whatever you like, including this chocolate cream.