Chocolate Appe is a quick, easy-to-make, soft, and delicious mini chocolate treat for your kids. An instant variation to the traditional paniyaram recipe - mini choco lava at home without an oven.
Check the traditional rice appe (paddu, paniyaram), Vrat fasting recipes, and Ganesh Chaturthi recipes.
About chocolate paniyaram
Appe, also called appo, paniyaram, appam, or paddu, is a traditional and popular dish prepared specially during Ganesh Chaturthi and Sankashti Chaturthi. Traditionally appe or paniyaram is made with rice. But it has multiple variations, like instant banana appam (paniyaram), apple appe, and spicy wheat appe, temple style appe or paddu.
Today's post is all about chocolate appe that can be served as a snack for your kid's tiffin box, after school evening snack, or even as after meal dessert. These chocolate treats are soft and gooey on the inside with crispy edges.
To make chocolate appe or paniyaram you will need appe pan, Æbleskiver pan or the paniyaram chatti. If you do not have any of these, you can still make the batter and cook instant mini chocolate pancakes on your skillet or dosa tawa.
Ingredients
Flour: I have used whole wheat flour or atta for a quick and instant version. You can use regular flour too. I have also tried it with rice.Â
Milk: Makes your appe rich and liquid used to make the batter.Â
Baking powder and soda: Makes paniyaram fluffy.Â
Flavoring: Cinnamon and vanilla extract gives a flavor of cake to your appe.Â
Sugar: Used as a sweetener while making appe.Â
Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder is used in the recipe.Â
Chocolate chips: Added at the center to make your appe or paniyaram gooey.Â
Fat: Desi ghee or butter is used for cooking the appe.Â
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make choco lava at home without oven?
- In a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder, sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Now add milk and whisk. You can add either an additional ¼ to ½ cup of milk or water and continue to whisk to form a medium-thick batter like dosa or pancake.
- Heat appe pan on medium-low heat. Add butter/ghee into all the molds.
- Pour 1 or 2 teaspoons of batter into each mold, add 3 to 4 chocolate chips, and then top it with another 1 or 2 teaspoons of batter.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a medium-low flame for 2 to 3 minutes or until the egdes look cooked. This will also ensure that the appes are cooked evenly.
- Then flip the appes with skewers or the back of the spoon, add some butter or ghee, and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Repeat the process for the remaining batter.
- Serve them with butter or ghee, and enjoy.
Tips
- Vary the sweetness as per your taste.
- You can substitute brown sugar with jaggery or regular sugar.
- I have used a non-stick appe pan.
- Get more creative. Top it with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, or even with fresh seasonal fruits.
Chocolate paniyaram with rice
- Wash and soak 1 cup rice in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Now drain it completely.
- Grind rice and 3 tablespoon grated coconut, adding water to form a medium-thick batter. The consistency of the batter would be similar to any dosa/pancake batter.
- Transfer this to a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients.
- Keep this batter aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Then follow the same steps given above.
Recipe FAQs
Grease all the molds with ghee or butter. This not only prevents the appe from sticking but also gives crispy edges.
Traditional paniyaram or appe batter is made with rice. For the instant version, we are making it with wheat flour.
Chocolate appe tastes the best when served fresh. If there are any leftovers, you can reheat them in appe pan with a drizzle of ghee or microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.
Yes. You can make mini pancakes in your cast iron skillet or dosa tawa.
The batter can be made in less than 5 minutes and tastes the best when made fresh, But if you are making it in advance, mix and store it in the refrigerator. Mix it nicely before cooking the appe.
More appe pan recipes
Recipe card
Chocolate Appe | Mini Choco Lava Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wheat flour
- ½ cup Milk
- ¾ teaspoon Baking powder
- Baking soda, pinch
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ¼ to ½ cup Sugar or Brown sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt, pinch
- 4 tablespoon Chocolate chips
- 3 to 4 tablespoon Desi ghee or butter Use oil or vegan butter for the vegan version
Instructions
- In a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder, sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Now add milk and whisk. You can add either an additional ¼ to ½ cup of milk or water and continue to whisk to form a medium-thick batter like dosa or pancake.1 cup Wheat flour, ½ cup Milk, ¾ teaspoon Baking powder, Baking soda, pinch, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder, ¼ to ½ cup Sugar or Brown sugar, ¼ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, Salt, pinch
- Heat appe pan on medium-low heat. Add butter/ghee into all the molds.3 to 4 tablespoon Desi ghee or butter
- Pour approx 2 teaspoons of batter into each mold, add 3 to 4 chocolate chips, and then top it with another 1 or 2 teaspoons of batter.4 tablespoon Chocolate chips
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a medium-low flame for 2 to 3 minutes or until the egdes look cooked. This will also ensure that the appes are cooked evenly.
- Then flip the appes with skewers or the back of the spoon, add some butter or ghee, and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Repeat the process for the remaining batter.
- Serve them with butter or ghee, and enjoy.
Notes
- Vary the sweetness as per your taste.
- You can substitute brown sugar with jaggery or regular sugar.
- I have used a non-stick appe pan.
- Get more creative. Top it with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, or even with fresh seasonal fruits.Â
Chocolate paniyaram with riceÂ
- Wash and soak 1 cup rice in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Now drain it completely.
- Grind rice and 3 tablespoon grated coconut, adding water to form a medium-thick batter. The consistency of the batter would be similar to any dosa/pancake batter.
- Transfer this to a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients.Â
- Keep this batter aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Then follow the same steps given above.Â
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this chickpea tikka masala recipe in Nov 2016. It has now been modified in Sep 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Monica
I'm always eager to eat anything chocolate that I've never had before! Love learning about this. Looks delicious!
Kushi
Thank you Monica 🙂