As I see my fifth cookbook come to life, I can’t help but think about how my relationship with desserts and baking has evolved over the years. What started as a “happy accident” in high school turned into a passion while I was completing my undergraduate studies and became a full-time profession about seven years ago. Now, I’m obsessed with it and it’s become a large, irreplaceable part of my life. While so much has changed in these years, what has remained a constant part of my journey is chocolate! From the first batch of (burnt) chocolate cupcakes I made with my cousins using box pre-mix to now writing an entire cookbook with 100 chocolate recipes, my baking journey has drawn massive inspiration from chocolate.

I think that’s because chocolate does exactly what I’ve always aspired to achieve with my baking – to bring unadulterated joy and happiness. Chocolate also has the ability to bring everyone together – a crowd-pleaser like no other ingredient! Which is probably why it is associated with special occasions and celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. The Black Forest cake that I would cut with my twin sister for most of our birthdays growing up, the decadent chocolate tea cake my nani would bake simply to celebrate our visit or the tub of chocolate ice cream that would get passed around while watching a movie with my cousins – chocolate has made every happy occasion happier and every low moment slightly better.

Another thing about chocolate that transcends the ordinary is its versatility. You pair it with absolutely anything and it’ll create magic. In this book, you’ll find dark chocolate paired with pistachios in a delicious chocolate thumbprint cookie that is filled with pistachio butter. Milk chocolate coming together beautifully with bananas and honeycomb in a giant swirl cake. White chocolate paired with lemons and berries in macarons and tarts, and ruby chocolate with matcha in cookies. I hope these 100 recipes and combinations will inspire you to experiment in your kitchen too and fall in love with chocolate, more than you already do.

This chequered chocolate pistachio cake is so fun and just the perfect recipe to try out when you’re up for a little challenge in the kitchen. I’ve always loved marble cakes but this, I love a little bit more!

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Choco Pistachio Chequered Cake

Makes one 8x4-inch loaf

For the cake

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup yogurt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup caster sugar

½ cup oil, plus extra

For greasing

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup blitzed pistachios

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the ganache

1 cup fresh cream

2 cups milk chocolate,

chopped

For the garnish

¼ cup chopped pistachios

Recipe

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 8x4-inch pans with oil and line them with parchment paper.

  • To make the cake, whisk together flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

  • In another bowl, mix the yogurt and baking soda together and set it aside to foam up.

  • Whisk the caster sugar and oil in a separate bowl until pale and well combined. Add the yogurt mixture, milk and vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.

  • Gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until everything is just combined and there are no large flour pockets in the batter. Do not overmix at this stage.

  • Divide the batter equally into two parts, in separate bowls.

  • To one part, add the blitzed pistachios and fold until combined.

  • To the other part, add the cocoa powder and fold until combined.

  • Transfer these batters into the two separate loaf pans and bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before de-moulding.

  • To make the ganache, take the cream in a saucepan and set it over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate.

  • Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt, then stir until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the ganache for 1–2 hours or until it is firm and sets completely.

  • To assemble the cake, trim the domed top of the cakes and make sure both cakes are the same height.

  • Slice the cakes lengthwise into two. You will have two chocolate cake logs and two pistachio cake logs.

  • Stick one log of the chocolate cake to the pistachio cake using a thin layer of ganache.

  • Cover the top surface with another thin layer of ganache and arrange the other two logs of cake on top, alternating the colours.

  • Cover the cake with ganache on the top and sides and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour and garnish with chopped pistachios on top before slicing.

Excerpted with permission from Chocolate: 100 Irresistible Desserts, Shivesh Bhatia, HarperCollins India.