What to eat this World Chocolate Day

One of our favourite days of the year, World Chocolate Day is coming up on 7 July, and these three very chocolatey options are ready and waiting to be devoured in celebration in Sydney and Melbourne.

La Madonna Restaurant & Bar

Pastry chef Adrianna Kolda, under the direction of Michelin-trained executive chef Jacopo Degli Esposti, has created a duo of chocolate-forward desserts crafted with poise and precision, available at this French-Italian fine diner in Melbourne’s CBD (Level 3, 103 Little Collins Street) for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30pm-9:30pm. More information via lamadonna.com.au. Please see an image attached and more here.

Le Chocolat

La Madonna's signature dessert, Le Chocolat is a study in texture above all else. Deep quenelles of Weiss 72% dark chocolate truffle mousse sit alongside chocolate génoise sponge and a buttery chocolate sablé soil, finished with a delicate chocolate tuile. A technically precise dessert where chocolate isn't just the star, it's the entire show. $22

Cocoa Bean and Espresso

If Le Chocolat is about contrast, this dessert is about intrigue and disguise. Shaped as a raw cacao pod and dipped in chocolate, the shell cracks at the tap of a spoon to reveal what's hidden inside: cacao nibs folded through a velvety coffee mousse, and a 64% chocolate sauce that oozes the moment it's broken. Beneath it sits a bed of cacao nib soil, grounding the dish in the very ingredient it's shaped to resemble. $23

Luke's Kitchen

Comforting as they come, this chocolatey number is the dish that's followed celebrated chef Luke Mangan further than almost anything else in his repertoire… and is available at Luke’s Kitchen in Sydney’s CBD (Kimpton Margot Sydney, 339 Pitt Street) for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30pm-9:30pm. More information via www.lukeskitchen.com.au. Please see an image attached and more here.

Gooey Dark Chocolate Tart

Simple in description and exacting in execution, Luke’s famed chocolate tart brings together a buttery chocolate pastry base filled with a rich, half-baked chocolate centre, gooey at the core, served warm, finished with caramelised banana and creamy vanilla bean ice-cream. Of the dessert, Luke said: "Rich and warm, with a soft gooey chocolate centre, this tart brings back memories and leaves you wanting more. It's a recipe that's been in my family for years and one I've always loved sharing with friends and guests."  $30