Valentine’s day dessert ideas

So you’ve decided on what you are going to serve for you “impromptu” indoor picnic, but are lost for suggestions. What should a budding culinarian like you do, perchance? Well, let a girl guide you through the sea of complicated dessert items. You could always buy something, but what I would like to see you do is to combine purchasing basics with a home made touch.

Fun With Chocolate

Let’s start with a basic chocolate sauce; the foundation to any intitimate celebration requires at least a chocolate fondue or dipped strawberries.

4 0z. bitterweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

2-6 tbl. heavy cream

Break up chocolate by one of two methods: On a cutting board sith a damp towel underneath to stabilize the board, place the chocolate on the board. With a heavy knife, place the heel of your hand on top of the knife away from the blade towards the tip. Take the handle of the knife and with a rocking motion, chip away pieces of the chocolate.

Method Two: Double bag the chocolate in ziploc bags, one inside the other and with a skillet and on a sturdy surface, bash the hell out of it until in small pieces.

In a glass bowl, put the chocolate in along with the two tablespoons of chocolate and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place in microwave and cook for 1 1/2 minutes and check to see if chocolate has melted. Whisk together with the cream, and if chocolate sauce is too thick for your liking, add two more tablespoons of cream and heat for an additional 30 seconds, and repeat until chocolate is  to the desired consistency

Chocolate Fondue:

Chocolate sauce (made with six tbl. cream)

Fresh Fuit of your choice, either whole ( strawberries0, or peeled and cut up ( bananas, apple, mango, ect)

Pound cake and/or brownies, cut into chunks

wooden skewers

The Chocolate sauce should be on the thinner side for this ( should slightly drip). The good thing about this is, is that the choice is yours what you want to serve. Just make sure that you cut and arrange the fruit on a plate, and prepeare the fruit that will turn brown last. Use the skewers to dip the fruit into the chocolate. Don’t even think about buying chocolate sauce; it’s not the same.

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Chocolate- dipped Strawbwrries

1 pint strawberries, blemish free

chocolate sauce (made with 2-4 tbl cream)

The chocolate sauce should be on the thicker side for this one ( it shouldn’t drip).  Wipe off each strawberry with a damp cloth; inspecting for blemishes, and discarding ( eating ) the blemished ones. Leave the tops on.

Cover a tray with plastic wrap. Grab the tops of the strawberries, and dip the bottoms into the warm chocolate sauce, placing on the tray as you go. Refrigerate until sauce is firm, about 2 hours. Arrainge strawberries in a decorative glass container and serve with whipped cream on the side.

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Fun with Macerated  Berries

1 pt berries of your choice

3 Tbl. or more of your favorite Liquer, or Liquor

-Grand Marnier

-Kirshwasser ( cherry brandy)

-Peach schnapps

-rum, brandy, ect. ( with 1 tbl sugar added to berries)

Inspect berries for blemishes, and discard old and moldy ones. Take liquer and pour over berries.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours;  if using liquor such as rum or brandy, add sigar to berries and follow directions for marinating. Serve over ice cream, on pound cake with whipped cream, with sweetened marscapone cheese, or alone.

There you go. I hope you tell the ones you love how you feel everyday; but if you don’t, here is a great start.

See you Monday!

The CC