Valentine's Day and Chocolate

Here comes Valentine’s Day, the day of romance, happiness and high expectations. This seems to be a day of quandary for men trying to please their ladies. At least that’s what I hear all the time—from my three sons and husband. Well flowers are nice, jewelry is a positive and dinner out is almost essential (unless you or your spouse love to cook and do so fabulously), but my vote goes for chocolate as the piece de résistance. Everyone loves chocolate—even those who say they don’t. The only people that really don’t want any chocolate are those who are allergic to it or those on a stringent diet. And now—wonder of wonders—the food experts have declared chocolate healthy!


Not so fast: the heart-shaped box filled with cream-filled milk chocolate doesn’t measure up, but dark chocolate is filled with antioxidants and essential minerals. Specifically, they are magnesium, copper, potassium, manganese and it is also rich in flavonoids which is actually the best news of all. Flavonoids are plant pigments that act as antioxidants which neutralize the free radicals (which cause aging, among other things bad), and improve vascular flexibility. Minimally processed, dark chocolate is the leader in flavonoids beating out such giants as green tea, red wine and blueberries. If all that weren’t enough, dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index which means it holds blood sugar levels steady.

Of course, everyone knows that cupid actually has chocolate in the head of his arrow and that it is a powerful aphrodisiac. (Well, that’s still a theory, but one that I subscribe to).

Think of all the words that describe chocolate and romance: decadent, divine, heavenly, voluptuous, ultimate, exquisite, luscious, wicked, luxurious, enticing, tempting, irresistible—need I go on? So I suggest that a bouquet of roses, some diamond earrings, dinner at a great restaurant should all happen and then, home to that homemade chocolate dessert and, well, bed.

Here are a few ideas for that dessert—the rest of the stuff is up to you.

Molten Chocolate Cake with Cherries (for two)

1 can sour cherries
Three-fourths cup sugar
One-fourth cup kimmel liqueur or kirsch (cherry brandy)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
One-fourth cup butter (half stick)
One-fourth cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
2 teaspoons all purpose flour

Combine cherries, their juice, three-fourths cup sugar and kimmel or kirsch in heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until sauce thickens and is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Recombine cornstarch and water and add to bubbling cherry mixture. Let bubble for 1 minute. Remove one-fourth cup of cherries (using slotted spoon); chop coarsely and reserve for cakes. Set aside cherry sauce.

Butter two three-quarter cup ramekins or custard cups. Whisk cocoa and one-fourth cup sugar in a bowl to blend. Stir chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; whisk in cocoa mixture. Whisk in egg yolks, then whole egg and flour. Fold in reserved cherries. Divide batter between prepared ramekins. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Bake cakes uncovered until edges are set but center is still shiny and tester inserted into center comes out with some wet batter attached, about 22 minutes.

Warm cherry sauce over low heat. Cut around cakes to loosen; turn out onto plates. Spoon cherry sauce alongside. Drizzle with warm fudge sauce. (optional—recipe follows) and dust with powdered sugar. (Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit February, 2001)

Fudge Sauce

Two-thirds cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.

Chocolate Gateau

21/2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
One-fourth cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
1 large egg
2 Tbsp finely chopped toasted almonds
One-fourth tsp. vanilla
One-eighth tsp. almond extract
Pinch of salt

Glaze

One-fourth cup whipping cream
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp. honey
1 drop of almond extract
3 Tbsp. finely chopped toasted almonds

For cake: Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 9x5inch metal loaf pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment. Combine chocolate and butter in saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Whisk sugar, honey and egg to blend in bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture, almonds, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until done—about 30 minutes. Cake will only be about ½ inch high.

Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out onto rack; carefully peel off parchment. Cool completely.

For glaze: Bring cream to boil in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and stir until melted. Mix in honey and almond extract. Let cool until spreadable, about 1-1/4 hours. Cut cake crosswise in half. Place 1 half on plate. Spread with 3 tablespoons glaze. Top with second half of cake. Spread top and sides of cake evenly with remaining glaze. Press some almonds onto 2 long sides of cake. Draw tip of knife across top of cake from 1 corner to opposite corner, forming 1 triangle. Sprinkle almonds over top of cake, covering 1 triangle only. Transfer to clean plate. Chill until set. (Adapted from Bon Appetit, Feb. 1994).