World Chocolate Day 2023: Bite into these dark, delicious Instagrammable desserts

Bas Kar Pagle Rulayega Kya, the signature dessert at Hitchki

How often have you felt the craving for an insanely-good chocolate dessert? Especially with monsoons on, when nothing hits home like a gooey, rich, decadent, cocoa-fuelled dark, milky or nutty confection. Well, you're not alone, if you do. Chocolate is the single most gratifying, desirable ingredient, making for comfort food and in this case, also notching things up on your Instagram and Facebook posts. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, check these gorgeous picture-perfect indulgences out on World Chocolate Day.

Bas Kar Pagle Rulayega Kya, Hitchki

This signature dessert at Hitchki gives the classic dessert a playful, contemporary twist and it has a quirky name, too! The drool-worthy Bas Kar Pagle Rulayega Kya by Chef Sandeep Rane, Corporate Chef (bakery and confectionery) is about cigarette-shaped candies, Gems, Kit Kat cake, Five Star brownies, Melody Truffles, nuts, scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with wafer cones, making for an explosion of flavours and textures. Your ‘gram is sure to love it!

Hitchki, G5, Transocean House, Lake Boulevard Rd. Hiranandani Business Park, near Kaya skin clinic, Powai, Mumbai – 400076

Call: 8291788008

Kit Kat Freakshake, 145 Kala Ghoda

If it’s extreme desserts we’re talking of, 145 Kala Ghoda’s lineup of mega-fun freakshakes definitely should be on the cards. They’re a delicious overload of ice cream, chocolate sauce, cookie dough, fondant, jelly, caramel, brownies, fruit, sprinkles and more. Try the Kit Kat Freakshake which is a pile-up of all these topped with chocolate gems, a doughnut and of course, some Kit Kat chocolate. The monstrous delight is sure to grab attention when you do an I-ate-that post online.

145 Cafe & Bar, Temple Bar Building, 145, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai – 400001

Call: 022 4039 6632

Dark Chocolate & Olive Oil Ice Cream, Burma Burma

If you’ve always loved having an ice cream cone, take that further with this treat, which has a comforting combination - Dark Chocolate & Olive Oil ice cream. Part of the new range of small-batch artisanal ice creams at Burma Burma, it’s about an indulgent dark chocolate churned into a smooth ice cream with extra virgin olive oil and dusted with olive dust. It’s edged with chocolate and Cacao nibs with good ol’ classic chocolate ganache on top. Smooth and something that you’ll love to round up your meal with.

Burma Burma, Delhi NCR (Noida/ Delhi/ Gurgaon), Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata

Call: +91 22 4003 6601 (Mumbai), +91 9920240092 (Bengaluru), +91 124 437 2997 (Delhi), +91 033 4605 1001 (Kolkata)

Shukulata Al Habib, Bayroute

Take a Middle Eastern trip and indulge in the Shukulata Al Habib at Bayroute. The beautiful dessert consists of a dark-tempered chocolate ball, comprising the velvety smoothness of chocolate mousse paired with gooey brownie cake bits and topped with a delightful addition of edible flowers, edible gold and cocoa nib praline, set on a bed of raspberry coulis. There’s a surprise twist, too! It comes in the form of popping candy inside that creates a burst of flavour as you bite into the dessert.

Across Bayroute outlets in Mumbai

Call: 86575 30350 (BKC), 82911 77913 (Palladium, Worli)

Nutella Ghewar Tart, Nksha

In a lineup of chocolate desserts, a little fusion is a must-mention. And here’s a dessert that combines the flavors of two popular sweets - ghewar and nutella. Chef Vikram Arora, Culinary Director and founder of Nksha restaurant brings together the Rajasthani sweet ghewar with the popular hazelnut spread. The disc-shaped crust is made by deep frying several droplets of batter in ghee and cooked until crispy. Once it’s ready, it is dipped in sugar syrup and then topped with a generous layer of creamy rabri and Nutella spread, for that rich and indulgent milky chocolate-hazelnut taste. It satisfies the sweet tooth cravings of anyone who enjoys a blend of traditional and modern desserts and notches up your social media feed, too!

ADCB Rehmat Manzil, 1A / 1B, Veer Nariman Rd, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020

Call: 9820475555

Black Forest, House of Amel

Dessert lovers, whip up all the right indulgence with this modern take on a comforting classic creation from House of Amel. The cloud kitchen by Sanah Ahuja has a stand-out dessert called Black Forest, an egg-free dessert made of cherry confiture, chocolate cake, whipped vanilla cream and 70 percent chocolate mousse. The dessert is then dipped in a red milk chocolate mirror glaze and then garnished with the Amel chocolate stamp. We definitely see this grabbing likes.

Sea Croft Building, Wodehouse Road, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai - 400005

Call: 7506307607

Falooda, Loya

Ever thought you’d tuck into falooda and chocolate together? Executive Chef Rajesh Wadhwa’s contemporary interpretation of the classic kulfi falooda, will have you do just that! This beautifully-plated dessert is akin to culinary art and makes just the right meal-ending indulgence. A chocolate shell filled with rabri is placed over chilled falooda and kulfi and when cracked with a spoon, creates a wonderful symphony of flavours for the palate.

Loya, Taj Palace, 2, Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi – 110021

Call: 011 66503588

Soiree-De-Chocolat Carnival, Smoor

Imagine a whole smorgasbord of chocolate to fuel your desires? That’s what’s in store at Smoor’s Chocolate Day Carnival, in celebration of World Chocolate Day. The couverture chocolate brand is celebrating a cocoa-rich gastronomic delight across its stores in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune. The experience apart, we suggest you try the Chilli Couverture Praline, where luscious chocolate seamlessly intertwines with the fiery essence of chili pepper, delivering an interesting chocolate encounter. Made with white couverture chocolate, this creation unveils a delicious fusion of sweetness and spiciness, and notches one up for creativity, too!

Smoor outlets across IndiaCall: 07406600808

Zeus, La Licorne

The Zeus cake at La Licorne in Delhi is a bestseller for the past two and a half years now, informs home baker and owner Sujata Singh. The two-tiered creation has two layers of chocolate sponge covered in chocolate cream cheese frosting with milk and dark chocolate imported from Ghana. It’s customisable and best enjoyed with edible gold, chocolates, strawberries or whatever else you like. The cake is light and moist to taste. At La Licorne also try the tiramisu in a tart shell, Nutella profiteroles and the Flourless Chocolate Wave Cake.

La Licorne, Villa number 4416/3rd floor, Marigold Lane, DLF Phase 4, Gurgaon – 122009

Call: 9667509956

Bon-Bon, Lupa

Chef Manu Chandra’s restaurant in Bengaluru has sure got the buzz going and for good reason! Designed like an Italian villa, the place draws on rich traditional European cuisine served with contemporary flair. And one of their desserts is stellar - the Bon Bon! Inspired by the Snicker bar, it combines a Pinata cake with the trendy ‘pull up’ cake concept and arrives at your table as a perfect ball of chocolate on a plate along with a hammer. At the base is a chocolate butter biscuit, giving it that apt crunch, topped with a generous scoop of house-churned 70% dark and creamy Belgian chocolate gelato with chewy caramel bits. Atop this is the chocolate rocher ball with a luscious, liquid chocolate filling. Crack open the rocher shell allowing the molten chocolate filling to ooze onto the plate, making sure you grab a video of that all along!

Ground Floor, Spencer’s Towers, No. 86, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bengaluru - 560001

Call: 087923 85999

Double Chocolate Brownie, Warehouse Café

This millennial hotspot in Kolkata is buzzy with sum great music and food and what also stands out are the desserts. Ask the delicious Double Chocolate Brownie that hits all the right spots, especially on a rainy day. The melt-in-the-mouth fudgy brownies are crafted with Callebaut chocolate and crunchy walnuts. This decadent treat combines the lusciousness of dark and white chocolate with a perfect blend of cream, sugar, eggs, and butter. Topped with a velvety chocolate mousse and a scoop of vanilla, it’s well-plated and packs a whole lot of visual appeal.

Warehouse Café, 4th floor, South City Mall, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata – 700032

Call: 98319 49593

Chocolate-Infused Paans, The Betel Leaf Co

Can there be a better meal ender than some luxuriously good chocolate paan? The Betel Leaf Co has given the traditional Indian betel leaf a new avatar and you’re sure to want more than a single serving. Try the Mexican Chilli Dark Chocolate made with a crisp Calcutta betel leaf, catechu (katta), slaked lime (chuna), gulkand, saunf, diced dried dates and a Mexican chilli-blended chutney. Or go for other variations such as the Mango, Orange and Strawberry Chocolate Coated Paan.

The Betel Leaf Co. (across India)

Call: 6366681111

Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory

Here’s the place that conducts some fun experiments in chocolate, giving it a delicious twist! There’s a list of desserts to choose from with cookie cakes, tarts and brownies and we suggest you try the Hot Nutella fudge brownie sundae. A sublime dessert, it has eggless brownie, Nutella, vanilla and chocolate ice-creams, this is just the dessert to enjoy on World Chocolate Day with your gang. Also, ask for Can't Make Up My Mind, a creation made of cookies, brownies and cheese; lending it a quirky, delectable appeal.

2 16/1 Wallace Garden next to Subway, Thousand Lights West, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600006

Call: 044 42144000