Valentine’s Day is just a week away and for those of whom are still fretting over what to get for that someone special, these romantic treats could be just the answer!
1. Chocolate Fondue
INGREDIENTS
2 strips of orange rind, pared from a whole orange with a vegetable peeler
A large pinch of ground cinnamon
3 tbsp caster sugar
150 g dark chocolate
2 tbsp double cream, plus 1 tbsp to decorate
350 g fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, grapes, passion-fruit, black currants, figs, cherries, for dipping
METHOD
1. Add the orange rind, cinnamon, sugar and 120ml water to a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until syrupy and leave to cool for 10 minutes or longer for the flavours to develop.
2. Discard the orange rind and reheat the syrup. Take off the heat, add the chocolate, stir until smooth and mix in 2 tablespoons of cream until glossy. Reheat gently if needed.
3. Arrange the fruit on a plate with skewers or small forks and pour the fondue sauce into a cup or fondue pot set over a burner. You can even use the saucepan you have been cooking with. Decorate with an extra drizzle of cream and swirl with a skewer before serving.
INGREDIENTS
For the biscuit base:
75 g digestive biscuits
25 g butter
2 tsp golden syrup
For the cheesecake:
For the topping:
METHOD
1. For the biscuit base: Put the biscuits in a small plastic bag, seal the top then crush with a rolling pin to make crumbs. In a small saucepan, slowly melt the butter and golden syrup. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and mix together.
2. Divide the mixture between eight 75ml heart-shaped moulds in a flexible silicone cake mould - or use round ones if you can't find a heart-shaped tray. Press the biscuits into a thin layer with the back of a teaspoon. Chill.
3. For the cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, caster sugar and lemon zest to a bowl and whisk together briefly until just mixed. Gradually whisk in the lemon juice and cream until smooth and thick. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the moulds and spread into an even layer, swirling the tops with the back of a spoon. Chill for 5 hours or overnight if possible.
4. For the topping: Add the cornflour to a small saucepan, stir in the lemon juice and mix until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons water, the sugar and blueberries. Cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the blueberries are just beginning to soften and the sauce has thickened to become a rich blueberry colour. Leave to cool, cover and chill until ready to serve.
5. To serve, loosen the edges of the heart moulds and press up from the base, removing the cheesecakes with a small spatula. Spoon the blueberry mixture on top.
Tip
If you find the cheesecakes a little tricky to remove from the moulds or haven’t had much time to chill them, freeze for 30 minutes to firm up then try again
INGREDIENTS
225 g butter, softened
225g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla, bean paste
375 g plain flour, sifted
1 packet of boiled sweets
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and the vanilla bean paste and mix well. As an alternative to the paste use the seeds from one vanilla bean pod or 2 tsp vanilla extract. Add the sifted flour and thoroughly mix to a dough.
4. Split the dough in half. Roll out each half between two sheets of greaseproof paper to approximately 4mm thick and place in the fridge to chill for half an hour or until firm.
5. Cut out cookies using a 6.5cm circular cutter. Cut out the centres using a small heart shaped cutter. Prick the dotted design onto the cookie using a cocktail stick.
6. Place on a greased or lined baking sheet, chill again for a further 15 minutes or until they are completely hard again. The chilling stops the cookies from spreading and will help them keep their shape whilst baking.
7. Keep re-rolling the scraps and chilling again between two sheets of baking paper until you have used up all the dough.
8. Add a red boiled sweet to each heart shaped hole and bake in the oven for approximately 10 minutes until the cookies are golden brown on the edges. Alternatively, you can fill the cookie with jam.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray.
INGREDIENTS
200 g dark chocolate, preferably Divine Dark Chocolate, broken up
4 tbsp amaretto liqueur, preferably Amaretto Disaronno
200 g butter, softened
200 g caster sugar, plus 3 tbsp extra
6 eggs, at room temperature, separated
pinch of cream of tartar
pinch of salt
100 g ground almonds
125g plain flour
25 g flaked almonds
125 g fresh raspberries
For the icing
150 g dark chocolate, preferably Divine Dark Chocolate, broken up
1 tbsp amaretto liqueur, preferably Amaretto Disaronno
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 heaped tbsp golden syrup
To decorate
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chocolate and liqueur into a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water and leave to melt gently. Remove the bowl from the pan, stir the chocolate gently until smooth then leave to cool until needed.
2. Butter and line a springform tin. Beat the butter until creamy. Then beat in the 200g of sugar (save the rest for later). When the mixture looks very light and fluffy, beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a clean whisk until just frothy, then add the cream of tartar and the salt and continue whisking until the mixture is thick and stands in soft peaks when the whisk is lifted. Whisk in the reserved 3 tablespoons of sugar.
4. Using a large metal spoon gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture, followed by the ground almonds. Add a quarter of the egg whites and fold in. Sift half the flour onto the mixture and fold in, followed by half the remaining egg whites. Repeat with the remaining flour and whites. Gently fold in the flaked almonds and raspberries, using just a couple of movements so the mixture is not over-worked, then spoon the mixture into the tin and spread evenly.
5. Bake in the heated oven for 55-60 minutes until just firm to touch and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre (avoiding the fruit) comes out clean. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin then leave to cool and firm up on a wire rack for 15 minutes before unclipping the tin.
6. When completely cold set the cake on a serving platter.
For the icing: melt the chocolate with the Amaretto as before, remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the butter and syrup to make a smooth and glossy icing. Leave to cool, stirring from time to time, until thick enough to spread over the top and sides of the cake. Leave to set and just before serving decorate with raspberries. Decorate with chocolate shards or curls.
5. Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Drizzle
INGREDIENTS
For the chocolate mousse:
120 ml double cream
120 g dark chocolate, 55–70% cocoa solids, broken into pieces, or dark chocolate drops
1 tsp orange zest, finely grated or 2 tbsp orange liqueur or 2 tbsp brandy
2 eggs, separated
For the shortbread biscuits:
For the salted caramel sauce:
225g caster sugar
110 g butter
175 ml double cream
METHOD
1. For the chocolate mousse: Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir the mixture until the chocolate melts. Add the grated orange zest or liqueur and whisk in the egg yolks.
2. In a separate, clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until just stiff, then stir a quarter of the egg whites into the cream mixture. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites, then spoon into little bowls, glasses or cups and leave for 2 hours in the fridge to set.
3. For the shortbread biscuits: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in, bringing the mixture together to form a stiff dough. There will be enough butter in the mixture to bring it together, so don’t be tempted to add any water. Alternatively, briefly mix all the ingredients in a food processor until they come together.
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface lightly dusted in flour and roll it out to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4in). Cut into shapes – fingers, rounds or whatever shapes you like – and place on two baking sheets, spaced evenly apart. Put in the oven and cook for 6–10 minutes or until pale golden in colour.
5. Remove from the oven and, using a palette knife or metal fish slice, carefully transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
6. For the salted caramel sauce: Place the sugar in a saucepan with 75ml of water and set over a medium heat, stirring the syrup as it heats up to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, stir in the butter, then turn the heat up to high and cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture turns a toffee colour. Do not stir the the mixture as it cooks, though you might need to swirl the saucepan occasionally if you see the caramel turning golden on one side of the pan before the other.
7. Once the caramel is a rich golden toffee colour, take it off the heat for a moment and stir in half the cream. When the bubbles die down, stir in the rest of the cream and a good pinch of salt to taste. Serve with the chocolate mousse and shortbread biscuits.
6. CRÈME BRÛLÉE
INGREDIENTS
600 ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
6 egg yolks
100 g sugar, plus 2 tablespoons extra to dust
1 icing sugar
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Put the cream and vanilla bean in a saucepan over low heat and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk until light and fluffy. Slowly pour the boiled cream into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously until evenly incorporated.
3. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and discard the vanilla bean and any bits of eggshell that may have accidentally crept in. Divide the custard mixture between the ramekins and place them in a deep roasting pan. Pour water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This is called a ‘bain marie’ and will ensure that the crème brûlées bake evenly and gently.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes. There should still be a slight wobble in the middle of the crème brûlées when you shake them gently.
5. Remove the crème brûlées from the oven, take them out of the roasting pan and allow to cool completely. You can then refrigerate them until needed, if you like. When you are ready to serve them, dust the 2 tablespoons sugar over them, followed by the icing sugar. The sugar will give you crunch and the icing sugar will give you shine.
6. You can now blast the tops of the crème brûlées using a kitchen blowtorch, or place them under a hot grill. When they are ready, they should be a deep orange-brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving. The caramel will have set and you will have the pleasure of that delicious crackling noise when you dig in.
7. GÂTEAU SAINT-HONORÉ
INGREDIENTS
For the crème patissière
6 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
40 g plain flour, sifted
500 ml milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
A little icing sugar, or butter
For the choux pastry
For the gâteau
METHOD
1. For the crème patissière: Whisk the egg yolks and a third of the sugar together in a bowl to a light consistency then whisk in the flour thoroughly.
2. In a saucepan, heat the milk with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla pod. As soon as it comes to the boil, pour it onto the egg yolk mixture, stirring as you go. Mix well, then return the mixture to the pan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk. Let the mixture bubble for 2 minutes, then strain into a bowl.
3. Dust the crème patissière with a veil of icing sugar to prevent a skin forming as it cools, or dot small flakes of butter all over the surface. Once cold, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove the vanilla pod before using.
4. For the choux pastry: Place 200ml cold water, the sugar and butter into a large saucepan on a medium heat. Heat gently until the butter has melted.
5. Turn up the heat and quickly pour in the flour and a pinch of salt in one go.
6. Remove from the heat and beat the mixture vigorously until a smooth paste is formed. Once the mixture comes away from the side of the pan, transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
7. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and glossy and has a soft dropping consistency - you may not need it all.
8. For the gateaux: Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line two baking trays with parchment and place a 23cm metal ring on one of the lined trays. If you don't have a metal ring, draw a 23 cm circle on baking paper and gently spread the mixture evenly over the circle with a wet knife.
9. Transfer your choux pastry to a piping bag and use half of the pastry to pipe 12 small buns on one of the baking trays. Pipe the remaining half into the metal ring on the other baking tray. Transfer the baking trays to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until risen and golden. Set aside to cool.
10. Whip up the double cream until firm and add the vanilla pod seeds. Fold the mixture into the cream together with 2 tablespoons sugar and a dash of orange liqueur.
11. Heat the remaining sugar in a non-stick pan over a medium heat and cook until it turns into a caramel. If the mixture begins to set, warm it up gently.
12. Once the sugar has caramelised, carefully dip each choux bun into the sugar and then place on a greased baking tray to cool.
13. Remove the ring from the pastry base and drizzle the remaining orange liqueur over the middle. Using an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon warmed in hot water, place half the cream mixture into the centre of the base.
14. Make small holes in the bottom of each bun using a sharp knife and pipe in the remaining cream mixture to fill them. Arrange the buns around the edge of the cake and serve.
INGREDIENTS
For the pastry
75 g cold butter, cubed
250 g plain flour, chilled in the fridge
100 g icing sugar, chilled in the fridge then sifted
1 egg
For the filling
4 eggs
680 g golden syrup
100 g pecans
For the crumble topping
25 g cold butter, cubed
50 g plain flour
25 g demerara sugar
1 tsp rock salt
METHOD
1. For the pastry: Use an electric stand mixer to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar, a pinch of salt and the egg - if you don't have a mixer, you can do this by hand. Gently work it until a ball forms. Wrap it in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry and line a 20cm cake tin with it. Cover the tin in cling film, fill the cling film with flour or baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the cling film and flour and leave to cool. Turn the oven down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
3. For the filling: whisk together the eggs and syrup, pour onto the pastry and arrange the pecans on the top, bake for 40 minutes then tap the middle to see if it is set enough to wobble. It may need to 10-20 minutes more but watch it to make sure it doesn't burn.
4. For the crumble topping: rub the butter into the flour and sugar until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Spread the crumbs out onto a baking tray, sprinkle with a teaspoon of rock salt and bake for about 10 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the baked crumbs over the top of the tart and serve.
INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
For the coffee glaze topping:
15 g cocoa powder
60 ml freshly made espresso coffee, or strong regular coffee
10 g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
35 g caster sugar
6 whole coffee beans, to decorate
METHOD
1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cream the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg to the mix a little at a time alternating with a spoon of the flour, to prevent the mix from curdling. Add the remaining flour and mix thoroughly.
2. Divide the mixture between 12 mini cupcake cases and bake for 10- 15 minutes until golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted.
3. Once cool, remove the cupcakes from their paper cases and put 2 into each of the 6 espresso cups. The first one should be pushed down to the bottom of the cup and have a snug fit. The second should sit on top of the first. To get a very neat finish, level the top of the cupcakes with a sharp knife. Doing this ensures that the second cupcake doesn’t rock when sat on top of the first or rise above the rim of the cup.
4. For the coffee glaze: Carefully melt the sugar in a small pan over a medium heat until it becomes a light golden caramel. Remove from the heat. Add the cocoa powder and pinch of salt to the coffee and whisk until smooth. Pour the coffee and cocoa solution into the hot caramel with great care as it’s very likely to bubble up and spit at first. Add the finely chopped chocolate and mix until smooth.
5. Very carefully pour this glaze into the espresso cups and all over the cupcakes until they are fully submerged. The glaze should set relatively quickly with a dark shiny surface similar to the surface of a cup of coffee.
6. Once the glaze has cooled and set, place a coffee bean on top of each one and serve on saucers with a spoon on the side.
10. Chilled Lemon Souffle
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1. Put the yolks, sugar and the lemon zest and juice into a large heatproof bowl. Stand it over a pan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is a thick liquid, for about 5 minutes.
2. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water.
3. Take the pudding basin from the pan, stand it on a table and beat for another 5 minutes. By now it will be pale yellow, thick and billowy.
4. Once the gelatin is softened, squeeze out any excess water and add to the hot lemon custard. Stir to dissolve completely.
5. Whisk the cream until it begins to hold its shape and fold that into the custard.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are very stiff. Gently fold in the cream and custard mixture with light movements, until everything is amalgamated. Pour into a soufflé dish (with non-stick baking parchment wrapped around the outside of the dish, secured with sellotape or string, coming about 5cm above the rim). Leave in the fridge to set for about 6 hours, or ideally overnight.
7. Toast the almonds in the oven until they are golden brown. When cool, use them to decorate the soufflé.
8. Remove the paper collar before serving, so that the cold soufflé rising above its dish, has the appearance of a well-risen hot soufflé.
Stay tuned for more Romantic Dinner/ Meal Recipes that you can whip up this Valentine's Day :)
