You know what else I've found helps amplify chocolate flavor? A touch of molasses. I've been adding about 2 teaspoons to my classic brownie recipe recently.

i have been hearing and reading about this tip for years but only recently tried it in my chocolate pudding pie. it really works! i only use a about a tsp. but i notice a deepening of flavor, a richness that allows me to lighten up on the milk, using 1% instead of whole.

I knew what the trick was even before I clicked on the full post. Coffee is the best way to get that intense chocolate flavor!

I didn't know that others knew about my secret ingredient!!! I usually use just a couple of tablespoons of instant coffee in just plain old box brownie mix and everyone raves and thinks they are from scratch.

Ha, this made me feel smart for getting the answer before clicking through :-)

Yea, so I've figured out that espresso powder (instant) does not exist in stores! Any one know of a national store that has it? I'm in OH

I was thinking salt, but then again I just love salted cookies, so I think I'm a bit biased.

I've always been somewhat iffy about using coffee in chocolate recipes as I have a few friends who refuse to eat anything with a hint of coffee flavour. Especially since I figured it was there for this purpose, not to draw out the chocolate flavour! Maybe I'll try it out on a recipe this year :)

I agree! I use dark brewed coffee instead of water when I make boxed brownies. You can't taste the coffee flavor, but it does intensify the chocolate.

Imrinc... look for a small 2 oz. Medaglia d'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee jar in the coffee aisle... that's what I use. It has a red,white and green label with the name in yellow.

Am I the only one who doesn't like this taste? Maybe bc I don't drink coffee, but when I have tasted chocolate items with the espresso/coffee thrown in the coffee just overpowers the subtle loveliness of great chocolate. It doesn't "intesify" the chocolate taste, it destroys it. I don't want my chocolate amped up to taste like espresso.

This is not a case of "that girl used too much" - I have tried this repeatedly.

I used to add espresso or espresso powder to boost chocolate all the time but I'm pretty sure I learned it from that doyenne of baking, Maida Heatter.

Now that I can't drink coffee sometimes I use a pinch of cayenne to deepen the flavor of chocolate. Or I just use really excellent chocolate and cocoa and treat it well.

lmrinc - You can also use instant coffee instead, or look for espresso powder the next time you're in a gourmet food store. I'm also curious to try the new Starbucks Via in baking...

Imrinc- In Akron you can find instant espresso powder by Medaglio D'Oro at the West Point Market and the Mustard Seed Market and also in Cleveland at Heinen's.
I think I may have seen it at Whole Foods. I have used it in the Barefoot Contessa's brownie recipe, it's great; I also add a teaspoon of almond extract.

I was thinking salt too - which is an amazing complement to bittersweet chocolate. And I also think hot chili pepper is incredible with chocolate, although obviously it needs to be the right recipe and in the right proportion. Mmmm, chocolate - this making me hungry!

I add vanilla extract (which I make myself...really, it is just a matter of steeping, in a jar, as many split open vanilla beans as you like in vodka or bourbon for six-plus weeks), from a half a teaspoon-plus to my chocolate recipes.

Nonetheless, I have tried, in the past, chocolate desserts with coffee added to it to enhance the flavour. Although, I am not a coffee drinker (I don't like the stuff), I was never turned off by any chocolate dessert that contained coffee.

It was mentioned that "coffee and chocolate share many of the same flavor characteristics." I think that vanilla [extract], because it is kind of opposite to chocolate's flavour characteristics, that it, too, like coffee, makes the chocolate jump!

I've heard good things about chocolate extract, for those who don't like coffee.