The One-Ingredient Upgrade That Adds Depth To Chocolate Desserts

Even cooks who don't drink often can benefit from a well-stocked liquor cabinet; alcohol can add an irreplaceable depth to countless dishes, including sweets. If you've tried many of these chocolate desserts from around the world and love chocolate cake, you simply must try putting Guinness stout in your favorite recipes. This dark, malty Irish beer instantly improves any chocolatey creation.

There are a whole lot of things to know about Guinness, but in the context of desserts, let's focus on its deep, smooth, creamy flavor with notes of coffee and caramel. These rich qualities enhance the taste of both milk and dark chocolate. Many beer tasters also cite chocolate as one of Guinness' tasting notes, so it's no wonder why it reinforces the taste of cocoa-infused sweets. Even if it's not your favorite beer, most recipes don't use enough to give the dessert an overt Guinness taste. The stout simply lifts up the flavor profile to make it extra intense and delicious.

Guinness chocolate cake is a classic example of this winning combination. Not only does the beer improve the flavor, but the carbonation helps to aerate and raise the cake, making it nice and soft. Most recipes use one cup of the stout, but you can even add the beer to store-bought chocolate cake mix to make a ho-hum dessert twice as tasty. Guinness also ups the deliciousness of chocolate mousse, cheesecake, cookies, and more.

If you prefer bite-sized treats to a whole cake, make your cupcakes bold and flavorful with a Guinness twist by using the beer in the batter or frosting. Just make sure to cut down any additional liquid in your frosting recipe to make room for the stout and minimize the chance of textural issues. To further avoid making your batter or frosting runny, you can reduce the Guinness on the stovetop. Boil the beer over medium heat for 20 minutes to evaporate it and concentrate its flavor, then let it cool before use.

Do you have a soft spot for freshly-baked cookies? Guinness can be used in everything from double chocolate cookies to classic chocolate chip to chocolate stout cookies with Irish buttercream. Again, it's a good idea to reduce the beer, especially since cookie dough should be thick. Toss in some Bailey's Irish Cream Baking Chips for a taste like a dreamy chocolate cocktail, or add a spoonful of instant coffee for a mocha vibe. You can also try mixing ½ cup reduced Guinness into your favorite brownie recipe.

Guinness is also brilliant in chilled chocolate sweets. Add a tablespoon or two to an easy 3-ingredient chocolate mousse recipe to enhance the richness of the dark chocolate, or top chocolate ice cream with Guinness for a decadent float. You can also add a splash to a rich chocolate cheesecake and top with Guinness whipped cream for a smashing St. Paddy's Day dessert.