Two Decadent Chocolatey Treats In A Mug

Because (at least for me) some of the best things in life come in a mug...


1. MUG CHOCOLATE CAKE
A couple of years ago, I was just mindlessly scrolling down my facebook feed, and suddenly stumbled upon a mug chocolate cake recipe that rapidly became a huge hit at home. It was soooo good that even my fiancé asked me to make it for him (I mean, for him to ask me to make something for him, it must be darn good!).

There are plenty of recipes for mug cakes out on the Internet, but this one is the best one I have seen by far. The cake is spongy and rich and delicious, and you simply don't want to miss it!

I must add a warning at this point, and add that if you want to keep reading, I will not be held responsible for any weight gain, insatiable cravings or sugar overdose that might occur as a result. Yes, it is that good. After I made it the first time, I kept making it over and over again, until I had to stop myself from buying the ingredients because you know, the cake is lovely and all but not worth gaining five kilos... (two or three, sure! not four...)

To make one cake you will need:

- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar (I used brown sugar, as I like it better, but white is fine too)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tablespoons whisked egg (optional; not adding it makes the cake fudgier)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3 tablespoons oil
- As many or as little chocolate chips as your taste buds desire (or substitute for chunks of chocolate)
- The flavoring of your choice (for me, it's vanilla. But you can get creative here, and maybe add some cinnamon or peppermint, or whatever you'd like!)

(Ok, so now you see why you should only make this recipe 1-2 times a month? 3 tablespoons oil and 4 tablespoons flour? yea, not what you'd call light).

Add the flour, sugar and cocoa to the mug, and mix. Add the whisked egg and combine until you get a pasty texture, and then pour the milk and the oil. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and your flavoring.

Put in the microwave for around 2:30 minutes (but keep an eye on it, if it starts spilling out of the mug, stop the microwave). It will be super hot so make sure you wait for a few minutes before grabbing a spoon and digging in!

This recipe takes literally five minutes (including microwave time) and no cooking skills whatsoever (one of the main reasons I love it!). It also fits perfectly with this time of the year, don't you think? If you are not exactly a master of the kitchen, like me, then give this a try and impress more than one!



2. S'MORES HOT CHOCOLATE
This recipe comes courtesy of MissGlamorazzi, a YouTuber whose videos I love watching. Last week she made this absolutely decadent S'mores Hot Chocolate, and I just had to make it. The only variation I did was to substitute the peanut butter for a caramel spread, since I don't really like PB (yes, yes, I know...!)

You will need:
- 2 Tablespoons of cocoa
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of sugar or sweetener (if you are using unsweetened cocoa)
- Peanut butter (or a caramel spread if preferred)
- 2 or 3 Graham crackers
- Marshmallows (as many as desired)
- Chocolate chips and/or chocolate sauce (optional - but highly recommended!)

First of all, put the milk in a saucepan and heat on medium. Mix the cocoa and the sugar in a bowl, and pour into the saucepan. Stir until the lumps of cocoa have dissolved, and turn the heat to low so the chocolate remains warm.

Cover the rim of your mug with the PB or your preferred spread, and crush the graham crackers (a great tip is to put them inside a Ziploc bag, seal it so the crumbs don't go everywhere, and start crushing!). The finer you crush them, the better. Put the crumbs on a plate, and put the mug upside down over the crumbs, so that they stick to the rim.

Pour the hot chocolate into the mug. Toast your marshmallows with the heat of the oven (carefully!) and drop them in the mug, along with as many chocolate chips as you want or some chocolate sauce, to make it even more decadent. Watch the marshmallows slowly melt, and enjoy!

Which recipe do you prefer? Which one can't you wait to try out?