With the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day (14th February) just ahead, online searches for ‘Valentine’s dessert recipes’ have increased by 130 per cent over the past week. Preparing or baking a homemade dessert for a loved one is a thoughtful way to make them feel extra special, and even the most simple recipes can be seriously delicious.
STAUB has a selection of dessert recipes perfect for the occasion, from its luxurious and gluten-free chocolate soufflés recipe with Naturally.B to its spiced chocolate fondue with fruits recipe which makes the most of a fondue burner for a fun date night activity.
Meanwhile, ZWILLING’s velvety chocolate mousse recipe is incredibly easy and quick while its cassis figs with almond parfait recipe makes for a great alternative to a chocolate dessert.
Gluten-free chocolate soufflés by STAUB and Naturally.B
Ingredients
115ml oat milk
110g dark chocolate (80%)
2 tsp almond extract
10g cornflour (sifted)
30g icing sugar
1.5 egg yolks
3 egg whites
Butter/vegetable oil (for greasing)
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C and make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
2. Grease a mini Cocotte or small round ovenproof dish with either butter or vegetable oil.
3. Heat the oat milk until you see small bubbles around the edges but don’t let it boil, then remove from the heat.
4. Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces then add to the hot oat milk along with the almond extract.
5. Use a whisk to stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
6. Add the egg yolk and stir with the whisk.
7. Then add the cornflour and stir again.
8. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until fluffy, adding the icing sugar one spoon at a time whilst whisking.
9. Make sure the eggs have turned white and have stiff peaks.
10. Slowly add the fluffy egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold – try not to over stir as you don’t want to knock the air out of the mixture.
11. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes or Cocottes, making sure the mixture goes right to the top.
12. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the soufflés have puffed up nicely.
13. Remove from the oven and serve with ice cream (dairy or vegan) or a light custard – be careful as the Cocotte or dish will be very hot.
Quick chocolate mousse by ZWILLING
Ingredients
300ml water
300g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa) or milk chocolate if prefered
1 untreated lemon
50g sugar
4g instant espresso powder
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 egg whites
3 tsp. chopped pistachio nuts
Method
1. Boil the water in a kettle and break the chocolate into pieces. Wash the lemon in hot water, dry and finely grate half of the peel.
2. Add the chocolate to the ZWILLING blender jar along with the sugar, espresso powder, cocoa powder and lemon zest. Pour the hot water over, close the lid and manually blend on a low setting until the chocolate is dissolved.
3. Add the egg white through the lid opening and close the opening again. Select the Ice Cream setting and run the programme.
4. Once the blending is finished, pour the mousse into bowls.
5. Allow to cool and place in the fridge for at least three hours until firm. Serve sprinkled with pistachio nuts.
Spiced chocolate fondue with fruits by STAUB
Ingredients
Fondue burner
250ml cream
Fine peel and juice from 1 untreated orange
75g of sugar
1 small red chili pepper, halved lengthways
2 cinnamon sticks
1 slit vanilla pod
2 star anise
4-5 pressed cardamom capsules
300g dark chocolate
200g whole milk chocolate
75g butter
2 tablespoons of rum and amaretto
Fruits of choice
Method
1. Mix the cream with orange juice and peel as well as sugar, chilli and spices and then bring to boil, then let it simmer on the stove for approx. 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop the chocolate.
3. Pour the spiced cream through a fine sieve into a fondue pot (such as this one by STAUB) and reheat.
4. Gradually add chopped chocolate and butter to the hot cream, stirring constantly until melted.
5. Finally, refine the cream with rum and amaretto and place on a low heat on the rechaud (base) in the middle of the table and enjoy the fondue served with fruits of your choice.
Cassis figs with almond parfait by ZWILLING
Ingredients
For Almond Parfait
50g ground almonds
350ml cream
2 tbsp. amaretto
100g sugar
3 eggs
1 pack of bourbon vanilla sugar
50g amaretti
For Cassis Figs
6 ripe figs
150ml currant juice
3 tbsp. cassis liqueur
Juice of ½ lemon
30g brown sugar
1 tsp. cornflour
Cinnamon and sugar mixture
Method
1. To make the parfait, bring the almonds, cream, amaretto and 50g sugar to the boil in a pot and set aside. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff. Mix the egg yolks with vanilla sugar and slowly stir into the hot almond cream. Heat while stirring until the mass reaches a thick consistency. Transfer to another pot, allow to cool and then chill.
2. Crumble Amaretti into the moulds. Beat the almond cream for about five minutes until creamy. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Spread the mixture into the moulds and freeze for around four hours.
3. Wash, trim and halve the fruits for the cassis figs. Place in a suitable vacuum bag, such as from ZWILLING FRESH and SAVE, together with the remaining ingredients, except for the cornflour. If required, insert the liquid barrier and carefully vacuum seal the figs.
4. Attach the a sous-vide stick (such as the ZWILLING ENFINIGY Sous Vide Stick) to a suitable pot and place the sous-vide rack in the pot if necessary. Then fill with water up to the indicated maximum level on the stick and set the temperature to 60 °C. Add the bag, enter the cooking time of 30 minutes and cook the figs sous-vide.
5. Then remove the figs, bring the sauce to the boil in a pot and thicken with stirred cornflour. Allow the parfaits to thaw slightly, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with the figs.
