Treat your sweet tooth, MasterChef-style, with these 3 chocolate recipes

Recently updated on July 11th, 2025 at 09:47 am

In celebration of World Chocolate Day on 7 July, we’re sharing three decadent chocolate recipes from the latest season of MasterChef Australia.

Currently airing on Australia’s Network 10, the new season has a twist: the contestants are fan-favourites from past seasons who are ‘Back to Win’. That means more skill, more technique, and heated competition – especially with these bold, boundary-pushing desserts. 

Ready for a chocolate challenge? From using native wattleseed to Oloroso-soaked prunes, we’re sharing three standout chocolate recipes and dishes that wowed the judges and show the diversity of chocolate in the  MasterChef Australia kitchen.

1. Native Australian S’mores by Darrsh Clarke

As seen in Episode 3 of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win 2025

MasterChef Australia contestant Darrsh Clarke brought a native twist to a campfire classic with his Native Australian S’mores recipe. The ‘dessert king’ used wattleseed and leatherwood honey, along with activated charcoal, to create a dish that’s both creative and inventive yet homely and classic.

While it didn’t win Darrsh the immunity pin, he was shortlisted in the top five dishes of the night. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

Leatherwood and Wattleseed Wafer
80g egg white
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp leatherwood honey
80g butter, melted
50g plain flour
2 tsp ground wattleseed 

Cinnamon & Honey Crème Patissiere
240ml milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp leatherwood honey
2 egg yolks
20g corn flour
20g sugar
50g butter, cubed

Swiss Meringue
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar

Cinnamon and Charcoal Soil
200g sugar
90ml water
100g dark chocolate callets, 54%
1 tbsp activated charcoal
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Chocolate Sauce
30g cocoa powder
50g sugar
100ml water
pinch of salt
micro herbs, to garnish

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 180°C, fan forced. Line two 40cm x 25cm (or larger) baking trays with silicon mats or baking paper

For the Leatherwood and Wattleseed Wafer:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix for 5 seconds, or until smooth
• Using an offset spatula, divide batter onto the trays and spread to a 1mm thickness
• Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until an even golden brown. Remove and let cool on a wire rack
• Once cool, carefully snap into six organic rectangle shapes, around 10cm x 6cm in size. Set aside for serving

For the Cinnamon and Honey Crème Patissiere:

• Combine milk, ground cinnamon and honey together in a small saucepan over a medium heat
• In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, corn flour and sugar until combined
• Once milk is hot, around 70°C, slowly add 1/3 to the egg mix, while continuously whisking. While whisking, add the tempered egg mix back to the saucepan and return to a medium heat
• Continue whisking until the crème thickens and is no longer runny, around 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted
• Transfer to a baking tray and cover the crème completely with cling wrap. Transfer to fridge to cool for 20 minutes
• Once cool, transfer to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Transfer crème to a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Set aside for serving

To make the Swiss Meringue:

• Fill a medium saucepan with 2cm of water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer
• In a medium bowl that fits snugly over the saucepan to create a double boiler, whisk egg white and sugar together. Place on top of the saucepan, ensuring the bottom is not in contact with the water
• Continue whisking until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 80°C
• Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high until the meringue reaches stiff peaks and the bowl reaches room temperature, around 5 minutes
• Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a flat nozzle. Set aside for serving

For the Cinnamon and Charcoal Soil:

• Add sugar and water to medium saucepan over high heat. Only swirl the pan occasionally to dissolve sugar
• Once sugar syrup reaches 130°C, quickly add the chocolate callets and whisk vigorously. The chocolate will melt and then form a soil within 10 seconds
• Immediately remove and leave to cool on a baking tray for 2 minutes
• Add charcoal and cinnamon, and combine only slightly, ensuring different areas of black and brown. Set aside for serving

To make the Chocolate Sauce:

• Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat
• Mix until smooth and continue heating until sauce thickens, around 3 minutes
• Transfer to a sauce beaker and set aside for serving

To serve:

• Pipe a small amount of cinnamon crème patissiere onto centre of plate. Place one leatherwood and wattleseed wafer over crème, pressing gently to glue it in place
• Pipe a 3cm wide circle of crème onto the centre of wafer. Pipe ring of Swiss meringue around crème. Cover with a wafer
• Repeat to pipe another layer of crème and meringue. Cover with another wafer
• Pipe Swiss meringue onto top wafer in a ruffled line, the length of the wafer
• Using a blow torch, torch the top meringue all over
• Scatter cinnamon and charcoal soil around the S’more. Add micro herbs and serve with chocolate sauce

Trafalgar Tip: Want to savour native Australian flavours for yourself? Get a taste of the real thing on Trafalgar’s Southern Capitals – City to Bush tour.

2. Chocolate and Cherries by Rue Mupedzi

As seen in Episode 5 of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win 2025

Rue stepped up to the MasterChef bench in Episode 5 with her Chocolate and Cherries dessert, quietly confident sweet of chocolate crémeux, tart pickled cherries, homemade vanilla ice cream, and cherry jam.

There was no pin up for grabs in this particular episode – but Rue’s creation earnt admiration from the judges and a spot as one of the Top 4 dishes of the night.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Chocolate Crémeux
105g milk
105g cream
2 egg yolks
30g sugar
130g dark chocolate, callets or finely chopped

Vanilla Ice Cream
267g milk
37g egg yolks 
67g sugar
75g cream
1 ½ vanilla pod; split, seeds scraped

Pickled Cherries
100g pitted cherries
½ lemon, juiced 

Cherry Jam
240g pitted cherries
24g sugar
2 lemons, juiced 

Method

• Pre-chill an ice cream machine.

For the Chocolate Crémeux:

• Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and well combined
• Slowly pour the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly at 82°C. Do not allow to boil
• Remove from the heat and pour the hot custard over the dark chocolate. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir gently until smooth and glossy
• Pour into measuring jug and fill the cavity of 85mm silicone donut mould. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set 

To make the Vanilla Ice Cream:

• Heat the milk with the vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy
• Gradually add the hot milk to the yolk mixture, whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly at 82°C
• Remove from heat, then stir in the cream
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow container. Discard vanilla pod. Chill in the fridge to 20°C
• Once chilled, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze until firm before serving

For the Pickled Cherries:

• In a bowl, toss the pitted cherries with the lemon juice
• Let the cherries sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to macerate

To make the Cherry Jam:

• Combine the cherries, sugar, and juice of 1½ lemons in a small saucepan over medium heat
• Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, until the cherries break down and the mixture thickens
• Taste and adjust with additional lemon juice or sugar as needed. Remove from heat and allow to cool

 To serve:

• Remove the cremeux from the freezer and gently unmould onto serving plates. Add the cherry jam in the centre of the crémeux. Allow to soften for 15 minutes
•  Quenelle the ice-cream and place on top of the crémeux. Garnish with pickled cherries 

Trafalgar Tip: Say Bonjour to delicious desserts just like this on Trafalgar’s Best of France tour and have your own magnifique holiday.

3. Marbled Chiffon Swissroll with Oloroso & Vanilla Stewed Prunes by Audra Morrice

As seen in Episode 5 of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win 2025

Audra’s swirled dark chocolate and vanilla chiffon cake, layered with Oloroso-laced cream and paired with stewed prunes soaked in sherry and lemon was a nod to vintage European patisserie – with a very MasterChef Australia upgrade. 

Along with Rue’s Chocolate and Cherries dessert, Audra’s gourmet Swissroll slid into the Top 4 standout dishes of the day.

Serves 8

Ingredients 

Cake
40g dark chocolate, chopped
70g milk
4 eggs, separated
40g oil
1 ½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped – pods reserved
60g caster sugar
55g plain flour 
2/3 tsp lemon juice

Cream Filling
400ml thickened cream
2 tsp caster sugar, ground in a mortar and pestle
1 tbsp Oloroso sherry
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped – pods reserved
50g dark chocolate, finely shaved

Stewed Prunes in Oloroso Sherry and Vanilla
150g pitted prunes
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup oloroso sherry
¼ cup brown sugar
1 lemon, peel 
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
25g dark chocolate, for garnish

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Line a 22cm x 33cm rectangular baking tray with baking paper with a 3cm overhang 

For the Cake:

• Place the dark chocolate and 30g milk in glass bowl. Microwave in short 20 second bursts until the chocolate softens. Stir until well combined. Set aside to cool 
• Place egg yolks, oil, 40g milk, vanilla and half the sugar in a bowl. Whisk until combined and set aside. Sift in the flour
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. While still mixing, squeeze in the lemon juice and slowly drizzle the remaining sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks form 
• Fold a third of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, followed by the remaining whites – taking care not to beat the air out 
• Remove a third of the mixture into a separate bowl and fold in the cooled chocolate as lightly as possible
• Spread the vanilla cake mixture evenly onto the lined baking tray. Smooth the surface with a pallet knife. Dollop the chocolate mixture over the top and spread it out lightly. Using the back of a spoon, marble the cake batter
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cake is just cooked through. Remove from the tin onto a wire rack
• Place baking paper or a clean, slightly damp clean tea towel over the cake followed by a tray. Quickly and carefully flip the cake over over, placing the shorter end facing you. While the cake is still warm, remove the bottom baking paper and carefully roll the cake up from the end facing you to the top. Wrap the roll in baking paper and chill in the fridge 

To make the Cream Filling:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the cream, sugar, vanilla and sherry until just past soft peaks 
• Fold in the chocolate. Set aside in the fridge 

For the Stewed Prunes in Oloroso Sherry and Vanilla:

• Place all ingredients with the reserved vanilla pods in a saucepan over high heat for 20 minutes, until the prunes soften and become syrupy. Taste and adjust sweetness and tartness to your liking 

To assemble:

• Unroll the cake, spread with cream, more heavily on the cake surface closest to you and sparingly towards the end furthest away. Leave a tablespoon of cream
• Roll the cake away from you gently tucking as you roll. Wrap with greaseproof paper and leave to set in the fridge 

To serve: 

• Using a knife, shave dark chocolate
• Smear the remaining cream on the top of the swissroll, sprinkle the shaved chocolate over the top
• Garnish with the lemon peel and vanilla pods from the stewed prunes. Place the prunes and syrup into a small serving bowl

Trafalgar Tip: Want to taste Oloroso sherry in its birthplace? On Trafalgar’s Highlights of Spain and Portugal tour you’ll sip straight from the source in Jerez.

Inspired by MasterChef Australia to attempt any of these chocolate recipes at home? Or rather craving your own delicious holiday? Let us know what you think of the final result in the comments!