For our family, no trip to Universal Studios CityWalk is complete without a mandatory pilgrimage to Toothsome’s Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen. It’s more than just a restaurant; it’s a wonderfully elaborate 19th-century themed dream, providing a truly fantastical feast. At worst, the emporium is an elegant nod to the magical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, written by the renowned author of many wonderful children’s books and stories, Roald Dahl.
Here is a Magically Epic Idea for our readers: create an experience out of reading Roald Dahl’s stories with your children! Our family rewarded our kids for reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with us by taking them to a massive, epic candy warehouse in town. We encouraged them to pick a handful—a HEAVY handful—of wild and wacky candies to enjoy while we had a magically epic family movie night watching Willy Wonka together! (Some day soon, we will get into the many amazing things families can do based on the Harry Potter books and movie series in similar fashion, but for now, back to Toothsome’s!)
Toothsome’s successfully bills itself as an “Eatery. Drinkery. Confectionery.” You can indulge in classic full-service dishes like steak and seafood—and the best part is their all-day brunch menu is always available! While the entrées are wonderful, the experience is defined by the culinary alchemy of their dessert menu. Their chefs create gourmet chocolates, artisanal milkshakes, and sumptuous sundaes that demand you save room for the grand finale.
Upon entering the main doors, visitors and diners are immediately greeted by the amazing retail and confectionery shop. This stop is a sensory overload! You can browse glass cases filled with macarons, custom Krispy treat confections, fresh fudge, and a variety of gourmet chocolates and candies. They also sell packaged snacks, coffees, themed T-shirts, and unique steampunk-inspired statues and decor.
But the dish that always steals our hearts—the one we talk about long after we’ve left Orlando—is their Warm Chocolate Almond Bread, which, by the way, is a vegetarian treat offered by Toothsome’s! It’s a sweet, fluffy cloud of chocolatey goodness, and today, we’re bringing that magical starter home!
Magically Epic Must-Do Meals at Toothsome’s
It’s hard to choose a favorite at Toothsome’s, but after countless visits, our family has a collection of “Magically Epic Must-Do Meals” that we return to time and time again, leveraging that glorious all-day brunch menu:
- French Onion Soup: A perfect starter, served piping hot with classic croutons and a thick layer of melted Gruyère cheese.
- The Croque Monsieur: A rich, savory dream built on a French loaf toasted with country ham, Gruyère cheese, creamy Béchamel sauce, and grated Parmesan.
- Quiche Lorraine: This is brunch perfection, featuring a flaky crust filled with applewood smoked bacon and Gruyère cheese, served with your choice of soup or side salad.
- Monte Cristo: A truly decadent sandwich—ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, battered, fried, and topped with marinated berries, berry jam, and powdered sugar.
- Bananas Foster Waffles: For something sweet, these waffles are draped in caramelized bananas, brown sugar, walnuts, rum, and butter, finished with whipped topping.
- Tour de France: This epic burger features a half-pound patty, a sunny-side-up egg, avocado, crispy onions, a rich truffle brie fondue, and truffle aioli, all on a toasted brioche bun.
While these dishes are magical, we always have to start our meal with the Warm Chocolate Almond Bread.
Toothsome’s Monstrous Milkshakes
Before we get to the bread recipe, we have to talk about the desserts that put Toothsome’s on the map! Their Jacques’ Specialty Milkshakes are less drinks and more gravity-defying works of art, piled high with entire cupcakes, cookies, and other decadent toppings.
From the Red Velvet shake (topped with a red velvet cupcake) to the Cookie Jar (piled high with Oreo, chocolate chip, and oatmeal cookies), these creations are a spectacle. They even offer a Jacques’ Specialty Flight where you can try five different mini shakes! These desserts are so legendary, they were recently featured in our 7-Day Snack Wars blog series where we compared the most outrageously epic treats in Orlando. You can view the full Milkshake and Dessert Menu here to start planning your indulgence!
Warm Chocolate Almond Bread (Copycat Recipe)
Now, let’s get to the star of the appetizer menu! Here is the copycat recipe so you can try this epic starter at home.
This recipe is adapted from the version shared by Devyn Lee on the Discover Universal blog, with some common pantry modifications to make it gluten-free and easy to execute.
Key Recipe Adjustments
| Original Ingredient | Your Modification | Quantity Used | Rationale |
| Tapioca Flour | Cornstarch | 1/8 cup (50% of the original 1/4 cup) | Gluten-free substitute, used 50% due to higher thickening power. |
| Oil (Olive, Avocado, Coconut) | Avocado Oil | 1/4 cup | Chosen over olive oil as suggested by the recipe. |
| Mini Chocolate Chips | Semi-sweet | 1/3 cup | Used semi-sweet as the type was unspecified in the original post. |
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Modified Ingredients
- 1.75 cups blanched almond flour (weighed 185g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 cup Cornstarch (substituted for 1/4 cup tapioca flour)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup Avocado Oil
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk or brewed coffee
- 1/3 cup Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an eight-by-four medium loaf pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- Combine Dry: In a medium bowl, add the almond flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Combine Wet: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Mix: Pour the dry ingredients into the large bowl of the wet ingredients, using a spatula to stir a few times.
- Fold: Then add in the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of milk or coffee, stirring to fully combine. The batter should be thick and wet but spreadable into a pan.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake the chocolate bread for 20 minutes uncovered, then add foil and continue baking for another 10-20 minutes.
- Check for Doneness: The bread will be ready when an inserted toothpick comes out with no wet batter. (Note: The middle may fall slightly, which is expected.)
- Cool & Serve: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting the parchment paper to remove the bread. Slice the loaf into about one-inch thick slices.
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