Chocolate for Breakfast

Who needs an alarm clock when you have one of these indulgent breakfasts motivating you to get out of bed? Pair with a cup of tea, coffee or our favourite chai latte and prepare for a magical morning.

Pancakes with Chocolate-Orange Sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes (+10 minutes)
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Chocolate-Orange Sauce

• 1 bar (100 g) Lindt Excellence Orange Intense Dark Chocolate
• ½ cup (125 mL) 35% cooking cream
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) pure maple syrup

Pancakes

• 2 cups (500 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
• ½ tsp (3 mL) pure vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups (440 mL) milk
• Vegetable oil, for cooking
• Orange slices (for garnish)

Steps

Chocolate-Orange Sauce

1. Put chocolate in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat cream and maple syrup. When mixture is hot, pour over chocolate. Using a whisk, mix until sauce is blended. Reserve at room temperature for pancakes. (Makes about one cup. Sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in a sealed glass jar for 4 days in a refrigerator. Warm to serve.)

Pancakes

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk eggs with sugar, vanilla and milk. Gradually add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until a homogeneous paste is obtained. Leave dough to rest for about 10 minutes at room temperature.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan. When the pan is hot, pour about ⅓ cup (80 mL) of dough into centre of pan and cook each pancake 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. Serve pancakes with chocolate sauce and garnish with orange slices.

Maître Chocolatier Tip: For a more traditional chocolate sauce, use Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate.

85% Chocolate Acai Bowl

Prep time: 8 hours
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 100 g (150 mL) frozen acai puree
• 1 ripe banana, cut into slices and frozen overnight
• ½ cup (125 mL) milk, almond milk or soy milk
• ¼ cup (60 mL) yogurt such as grapefruit, strawberry or Greek
• 1 tsp (5 mL) raw cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup or honey (omit if the acai puree you are using is already sweetened)
• ½ tsp (3 mL) vanilla (optional)
• 2 squares (20 g) Lindt Excellence 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate, grated

Optional toppings: granola, berries, chia seeds, raw sliced almonds, shaved coconut, cranberries, cocoa nibs, sliced fruits

Steps

1. Remove acai puree from freezer and run packet under warm water until it softens slightly. Place puree in bowl of a food processor along with frozen banana and blend well until mixture begins to combine, scraping down bowl as needed.
2. Add milk, yogurt and cocoa powder, along with honey or another sweetener of your choice and the vanilla. Blend mixture until completely smooth. If needed, add in more yogurt or milk to get the desired consistency.
3. Place in a bowl and top with grated 85% chocolate, some granola and fruit or any other toppings. Enjoy chilled.

Matcha White Chocolate Muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups (440 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp (8 mL) baking powder
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
• 1 ½ tbsp (22 mL) matcha tea powder
• ½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
• ½ cup (125 mL) 3.25% milk
• ½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 bar (100 g) Lindt Excellence White Vanilla Chocolate, chopped

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two standard 6-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, matcha tea powder and granulated sugar in large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and milk.
4. Pour wet-ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just until flour disappears. Fold in melted butter and then the chopped chocolate. Mix as little as possible.
5. Divide batter between lined muffin pans.
6. Bake until a tester inserted into centre of muffin comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve immediately.

Maître Chocolatier Tip: Turn this snack into a decadent dessert by adding both white and dark chocolate chunks to the muffin batter.

Ricardo’s Chocolate Brioche Buns

Prep time: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour rising)
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 buns

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) milk, warm
• ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
• 3 ¼ cups (810 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) instant dry yeast
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• ½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 bar (100 g) Lindt Excellence Ecuador 75% Cacao Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten, for brushing

Steps

1. Combine milk and sugar in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. With a wooden spoon or with your hands, add milk mixture, egg and butter to dry ingredients, working vigorously until a dough begins to form.
3. Place dough on a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Form a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest in a warm, humid place (see note) for 10 minutes.
4. Line a 17×12-inch (43×30-cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. While kneading, add the chopped chocolate. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape into balls by rolling them with your hands on the counter, then place on the baking sheet. Let rise for about 45 to 60 minutes in a warm, humid place, or until balls double in size.
6. With the rack in the middle position, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
7. With a brush, lightly coat the buns with the beaten egg. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Tip: A microwave is a perfect place to make dough rise. By placing a cup of just boiled water next to the dough, the interior will become a warm, humid place.