Try These Valentines Day Recipes

  White Chocolate Fudge

  Marshmallows

  Chocolate Rum Truffles

  Champagne Charlie

  Turkish Delight

  Raspberry Sherbet

  Pineapple Glace

  Chocolate Mousse

  Victorian Gingerbread Valentines

One of the many Valentines Day traditions is a candlelit dinner for two. There is a lot to be said for going out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate this special lovers day but why not consider preparing one of the Valentines Day recipes for dessert from the list here, before going out and eating it when you come home! Mmmm!
 

Having an intimate Valentines Day dinner at home can also be great fun especially if you make the preparations a joint effort, cooking together can be a very romantic part of the celebrations. So Light the candles, turn down the lights, put on the mood music and enjoy!

Tradition states that if you drop your fruit into the fondue you must kiss the person opposite you.

Chocolate Fondue

Preparation time 15 minutes

Total cooking time 10 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

300 ml (10 fl oz) cream

50 ml (13/4 fl oz) milk

1 vanilla pod

500 g (1 lb) good‑quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 banana

3 apples

3‑1 slices fresh or canned pineapple

150 g (5 oz) strawberries

1. Place the cream and milk in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into the pan. Add the vanilla pod to the pan. Slowly heat until just at boiling point. Remove from the heat, discard the vanilla pod and stir in the chocolate. Keep the chocolate fondue warm by sitting the pan within a larger pan of hand‑hot water.

2. Cut the fruit into large slices or chunks, depending on the type of fruit. Leave the strawberries whole.

3. To serve skewer a mixture of fruits for each person and serve with a small dish of fondue on each individual plate. Alternatively, serve the fondue in the centre of the table with the fruit and allow each person to dip one piece of fruit at a time into the fondue.

Chefs tip: Vary your fruit selection to take advantage of each season.

Surely this is the way fruit was intended to be...sweet and juicy, and smothered with rich dark chocolate. 

The combination of fruits you use is only limited by your imagination.

Chocolate‑dipped Strawberries

Preparation time 20 minutes + 15 minutes refrigeration

Total cooking time 10‑15 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

About 10 - 15 strawberries depending on size.

185 g (6 oz) bittersweet chocolate, chopped.

1 tablespoon white vegetable shortening or cooking oil.

1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof or baking paper. Clean the strawberries by brushing with a dry pastry brush, or rinsing them very quickly in cold water and drying well on a thick layer of paper towels. Discard any berries with soft spots.

2. Put the chocolate in a bowl. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and place the bowl over the pan, making sure it is not touching the water. Leave the chocolate to melt slowly. Stir in the shortening or oil, and mix until melted and completely incorporated. Remove the bowl from the pan and place on a folded towel to keep it warm.

3. Holding the berries by their stems or hulls, dip about three quarters of the way into the chocolate, some of the colour of the fruit still shows. Gently wipe off any excess chocolate on the edge of the bowl and place the coated strawberries on their sides on the tray.  If the chocolate becomes too thick, reheat the water, remove from the heat and place the bowl over the pan until the chocolate returns to the required consistency.

4. Once all the fruit has been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate has just set. Remove from the refrigerator and keep in a cool place until ready to serve. Do not serve directly from the refrigerator - the cold temperature will inhibit the full flavour and sweetness of the fruit and the chocolate will be too hard.

Chef's tips: Any fruit can be used, but the best are with ones that can be left whole or have a dry surface.  If the strawberry stems are too short, use a toothpick to dip them.

Made with creamy white chocolate, this fudge is ultra sweet, so eat it in small quantities, if you can.

White Chocolate Fudge 

Marshmallows

Preparation time 15 minutes

Total cooking time 40 minutes (approx) + 1 hour to set

Makes just over 455g/1lb

Ingredients:

455g/1lb granulated sugar

1 tbsp liquid glucose

9 sheets of gelatine
2 egg whites, size I

1 tsp vanilla extract

(Make sure you use vanilla extract and not essence.)

icing sugar

cornflour

1. Put the granulated sugar, glucose and 200m1/7fl oz water in a heavy based saucepan. Bring to the boil and continue cooking until it reaches 127^oC/260^oF on a sugar thermometer.

2. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in140ml/quarter pint cold water. Beat the egg whites until stiff.

3. When the syrup is up to temperature, carefully slide in the softened gelatine sheets and their soaking water. The syrup will bubble up so take care not to burn yourself. Pour the syrup into a metal jug.

4. Continue to beat the egg whites preferably with an electric whisk while pouring in the hot syrup from the jug. The mixture will become shiny and start to thicken.

5. Add the vanilla extract and continue whisking for about five to ten minutes, until the mixture is stiff and thick enough to hold its shape on the whisk.

6. Lightly oil a shallow baking tray, about 30 x 20cm/12 x 8in. Dust it with sieved icing sugar and cornflour, then spoon the mixture over and smooth it with a wet palette knife if necessary. Leave for at least an hour to set. 

7. Dust the work surface with more icing sugar and cornflour. Loosen the marshmallow around the sides of the tray with a palette knife, and then turn it out on to the dusted surface.

8. Cut into squares and roll in the sugar and cornflour. Leave to dry a little on a wire rack, then pack into an airtight box.

Chef's tips: Try adding a few drops of natural food colouring (red cochineal - not too much. Add this at the same time you add the vanilla extract.), for pink marshmallows or roll them in shredded coconut or coat them in chocolate.  

 

 

In the true style of truffles, these petite fours are highly decadent and very rich. They are delicious served with coffee as an after dinner treat or special Valentines Day temptation.

Chocolate Rum Truffles
Preparation time: 40 minutes + refrigeration
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes 24

Ingredients:
300gm/10oz good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
100ml/3-1/4 fluid oz thick (double) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
25ml/ ¾ fluid oz dark rum
Cocoa powder to dust

1. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl.

2. Place the cream and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat until it is just at boiling point.

3. Pour the cream directly over the chopped chocolate. Gently mix with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. If there are any lumps, place the bowl over a pan of barely steaming water, off the heat and lightly stir for a moment to melt any remaining chocolate.

4. Mix in the rum and refrigerate the ganache until it is set.

5. Form the ganache into small balls using a melon baller or pipe it into small balls using a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.

6. Return to the refrigerator to set.

7. Roll the balls between your palms to form a perfect ball and then roll in the cocoa powder, using a fork to roll them around until evenly coated.
   
   Chef’s tip: since these truffles are not dipped in chocolate before they are rolled in the cocoa powder, they should be eaten within 2-3 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Roll the truffles in the cocoa powder a second time before eating.

George Leybourne, star of the English music hall of the 1890's, often ordered champagne for his audiences, a gesture which earned him the nickname of 'Champagne Charlie'.  This ice cream, named after him, is a superb desert for a special occasion like Valentines Day.

Champagne Charlie

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Freezing time: 5 hours

Ingredients for 6:

6oz castor sugar

2 oranges and 2 lemons

1 pint chilled champagne

1 pint double cream

6 fluid oz. brandy

*36 ratafia biscuits

Garnish:

*Langues de chat

Lemon peel

1. One hour before beginning preparations, set the refrigerator to its coldest setting.

2. Put the sugar in a pan with 1/4 pint of water and bring to the boil, boiling rapidly for 6 minutes to make a syrup.

3. meanwhile, grate the rind from one orange and squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons.  Add the rind and strained juices to the syrup and leave to cool.

4. Stir in the chilled Champagne.

5. Pour the mixture into a plastic container and cover with the lid or a double layer of foil.

6. Freeze for 1 1/2 -2 hours or until frozen round the edges.

7. Scoop the mixture into a chilled bowl and whip until smooth.

8. In a separate bowl, beat the cream until stiff and blend it slowly into the Champagne syrup until it is smooth and uniform in colour.

9. Blend in 2 tablespoons of brandy, spoon the mixture into the container, cover and freeze for about 3 hours.

10. About 30 minutes before serving, place six *ratafia biscuits in the bottom of each champagne glass. Pour a dessertspoon of brandy over the biscuits and leave them to soak.

11. Scoop the ice cream into the glasses. Hang a thin spiral of lemon peel from the rim of each glass and pour a teaspoon of brandy over each portion.

12. Serve immediately with a separate plate of *langues de chat.

* Ratafia biscuits - tiny macaroons made with the liquor from fruit kernels

* Langue de chat - Flat, finger-shaped crisp biscuits served with cold desserts.

 

Chef's Tip: Slivered almonds sprinkled on top of the ice cream before serving can make a good substitute for the ratafia biscuits.

Turkish Delight is a sweet (Candy) which is particularly popular in the Near and Far east.   Turkish Delight makes an ideal gift if wrapped in greaseproof or waxed paper and placed in a pretty box.

Turkish Delight

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Setting time: 8 hours or overnight

Makes about 36 sweets

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon butter

1lb/2 cups sugar

10 fluid oz/1 1/4 cups water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 oz gelatine dissolved in 4 fluid oz/ 1/2 cup of hot water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon rose water

3 drops red food colouring

2oz icing sugar/ 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1oz cornflour/ 1/4 cup cornstarch

1. Grease a 6 x 6in baking tin with the butter and set aside.

2. Place sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium sized, heavy -based saucepan.  Place the pan over a low heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Increase the heat to moderately high and bring the syrup to the boil.  Boil the syrup until the temperature registers 250oF/121oC on a sugar thermometer or until a little syrup dropped into a bowl of water forms a hard ball.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the mixture to stand for 10 minutes.

5. Stir in the dissolved gelatine and vanilla essence and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

6. Pour half of the mixture into the greased baking tin.

7. Stir the rose water and red food colouring into the remaining mixture and beat well.

8. Pour the remaining mixture into the tin and set aside in a cool place for 8 hours or overnight.

9. Sift the icing sugar and cornflour on to a plate.  Turn the Turkish Delight on to a board and cut into 1in squares.

10. Toss the cubes in the sugar and cornflour mixture to coat them thoroughly, shake off any excess.

11. Transfer the Turkish Delight onto a dish and serve immediately, or wrap in greaseproof or waxed paper and store in an airtight container until required.

Chef's Tip: Serve with freshly percolated coffee after dinner.

This modern low fat sherbet is made from raspberry puree blended with sugar syrup and virtually fat free fromage frais or cream cheese, then flecked with crushed fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
 

Raspberry Sherbet

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Freezing time: 7 hours

Serves 6

Ingredients:

175g/6oz/ 3/4cup caster sugar
150m/1-1/4 pint/ 2/3 cup water
500g/1-1/4lb/ 3-1/2 cups raspberries, plus extra, to serve
500ml/ 17 fluid oz / generous 2 cups virtually fat free fromage frais or cream cheese

1. Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then pour into a jug (pitcher) and cool.

2. Put 350g I 12oz 121/z cups of the raspberries in a food processor or blender. Process to a puree, then press through a sieve placed over a large bowl to remove the seeds.

3. Stir the sugar syrup into the raspberry puree and chill the mixture until it is very cold. Add the fromage frais or cream cheese to the puree and whisk until smooth.
   

4. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn until it is thick but not too soft to scoop. Spoon into a freezer proof container. If you are making the sherbet by hand, pour the mixture into a plastic tub or similar freezer proof container and freeze for 4 hours, beating once with a fork, electric whisk or in a food processor to break up the ice crystals. After this time, beat again.

5. Crush the remaining raspberries between your fingers and add them to the partially frozen sherbet.

6. Mix lightly and then freeze for 2-3 hours more until firm.
   Scoop the sherbet into dishes and serve with extra raspberries.
   
   

Cook's tip: If you intend to make this in an ice cream maker, check your handbook first, as this recipe makes 900ml/1-1/2 pints/ 3-3/4 cups of mixture. If this is too large a quantity for your machine to handle, make it in two batches or by hand.

Pineapple Glace
Preparation time: 1 hour
Freezing time: 6 hours
Serves 6
 

Ingredients:
3 small pineapples
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons Cointreau
3 cups vanilla ice cream

1. Wash and rinse the whole pineapples thoroughly. Drain well. Keep the crown (tops) intact and dry the pineapples with paper towel.

2. Cut each pineapple in half lengthways, being careful not to break the leafy crowns from the fruit. Using a sharp knife, remove most of the flesh leaving about a 1/2 in/ 1.5cm thick shell. Set the flesh aside.

3. Sprinkle the inside of each shell with 1 tablespoon each of sugar and Cointreau.

4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours.

5. Dice the pineapple flesh very finely, then quickly combine with ice cream, reserving some for garnish.

6. Pile the mixture lightly into the six pineapple shells. Place each one in a plastic bag and freeze until firm for about 2 hours.

7. Remove from the freezer, unwrap, garnish with a few chunks of pineapple and serve immediately.
   
   Chef's tip: To reduce the strong pineapple flavour, replace the 3 small pineapples with 1 medium pineapple. Prepare the same way but reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons.

This sophisticated chocolate mousse is so light and creamy that it melts in the mouth.
 

Chocolate Mousse
Preparation time: 1 hour + 1 hour refrigeration
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 6
 

Ingredients:
140g/ 4 1/2 oz good quality dark chocolate
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/2 gelatine leaves or 3/4 teaspoon gelatine powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee
500ml/ 16 fluid oz cream for whipping

1. Grate 15g/1/2 oz of the dark chocolate and set aside in a cool dry place.

2. Put 60ml/2 fluid oz water with the sugar in a small heavy based pan. Bring to the boil and continue cooking until it reaches 127^oC/260^oF on a sugar thermometer.

3. When the sugar starts to boil, whisk the egg whites in a bowl using electric beaters until they barely hold their shape in very soft peaks. With the machine still running, carefully pour the bubbling syrup onto the whites, aiming between the bowl and the beaters.

4. Continue to whisk until cold.

5. Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes until soft then remove and drain or stir the gelatine powder and 1 tablespoon water over a pan of simmering water until dissolved.

6. Dissolve the instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of boiling water in a small pan, add gelatine leaves or dissolved gelatine powder and warm over gentle heat. Do not boil or the gelatine will be stringy.

7. Pour onto egg whites and stir well.

8. Roughly chop the remaining chocolate and put in a bowl. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and place the bowl over the pan, making sure it is not touching the water. Leave the chocolate to melt slowly then remove from pan and fold into the egg white mixture.

9. Whip the cream until it leaves a trail when lifted on the whisk then fold into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the grated chocolate.
   Pipe the mousse into six glasses using a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm/ 5/8in plain nozzle. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

10. The mousse can be decorated with rosettes of whipped cream or chocolate leaves, grated chocolate or chocolate curls.
    
    Chef's tip: Try serving the mousse in chocolate cups or layering with banana and rum or amaretti biscuits and whisky.

In Victorian times lovers declared their affections via words, songs, pictures and foods. One such food was gingerbread "life cakes" in the shape of hearts.

Victorian Gingerbread Valentines

Preparation time: 15

Chilling time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes about 8 cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup dark corn syrup

1 large egg

1. In large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.

2. Blend together margarine and brown sugar until smooth.

3. Add corn syrup and egg; beat well.

4. Add dry ingredients, about one-third at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition.

5. Chill dough one hour.

6. Roll out half of dough on lightly floured surface to one-quarter-inch thickness. (Reserve other half for decorations or for a second batch of cookies.)

7. Using hear-shaped cookie cutter, press out cookie shapes or use knife to cut around a pattern.

8. Place hearts on cookie sheet.

9. Decorate as desired. Bake at 177^oC/350^oF for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

10. Remove and place on wire racks to cool. Store in covered container.

Chef's tip: Although the heart shape cutter is the most appropriate for Valentines Day, experiment with other cutters or try freeform cutting to a cardboard template of your own design, a cupid or kiss perhaps.

All these Recipes can be served with your favourite champagne and
make a great Romantic gift to your sweetheart.

 

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