What can end a perfect home cooked Valentine's Day meal? A perfect homemade Valentine's Day dessert. Carry on that special meal vibe with something sweet , rich and decadent. It's the perfect end for an at home candleight dinner for two.
Yossi Arefi, cookbook author and creator of the popular blog Apt 2B Baking Co. gave recipes for three mouth watering desserts in yesterday's New York Times Food section. There are peanut butter hot fudge sundaes , a chocolate souffle cake and a chocolate Earl Grey creme brulee. They're perfect endings for whatever you plan for your romantic dinner. The sundaes can finish a homemade pizza or spaghetti and meatballs dinner. The sauce is a silky mix of Dutch process cocoa powder, brown sugar, heavy cream and chopped bitter sweet chocolate. DO NOT use chcoclate chips because they have stabilizers that will make the sauce grainy. Half a cup of creamy peanut butter is added along with the chocolate when the cream mixture has simmered . As for assembling the sundae. Ms. Arefi suggests using a clear glass dish or even a drinking glass to show off the layers of hot fudge, ice cream and whipped cream. The fudge should go in first and then the ice cream. Don't use one that will overpower the fudge's flavor. Chocolate or vanilla will work fine. Layer on whipped cream sprinkles and of course top with a cherry.
End a more sophisicated meal with either the chocolate souffle cake or the chocolate Earl Grey creme brulee. Keep in mind these also make for lovely enders for a Saturday night in or a Sunday lunch. The chocolate souffle cake has bittersweet chocolate and espresso in it. Again don;t use chocolate chips but chopped dark chocolate for a smoother, silkier texture.Dark rum is added too. This is a flourless cake, but rich with butter and eggs. The butter and chocolate are melted together in a bain marie or double boiler first. The four egg yolks and one whole egg. are also added to thisThe whites are added in later. It's then pured into a buttered pan and baked at 350 degrees Farenheit for about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Cocoa powder is dusted over the cooled cake. For a somewhat easier teaat. think the creme brule. Whole cream is simmered and then Earl Grey tea bags are added to this . Granualted sugar is also added along with chopped dark chocolate As this simmers, whisk three large egg yolks. Slowly stream in the chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended. Pur this into buttered ramekins. Then place the ramekins into a pan halfway filled with boiling water. Cook for half an hour in a 300 degree Farenheit oven. Let cool. When they're ready to serve sprinkle on a thin layer of sugar and lightly torch with a kitchen blow torch.Serve immediately.
These are perfect desserts for a romantic night in. They're decadent and rich in chocolate and flavor. Make them for that special someone.
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