The astute among you will notice the subtle change in the header. Although the domain name remains the same, Christie’s Corner has been replaced by The Messy Baker. Baby steps, Charmian. Baby steps. The new domain name and layout are coming. Just slowly. There’s a lot of tech involved and that always takes more time and chocolate than I imagined. My eyelids are quivering and I’m not sure if that’s from hours of staring at a computer screen or fuelling myself with caffeine and cocoa beans. Regardless, stay tuned for changes.
I don’t normally celebrate Valentine’s Day, but am going to make an exception this year. I’ve been sitting on some news and think Valentine’s Day is a great chance to share the love. The Messy Baker is going to arrive in bookstores in Spring 2014. Yes, that’s later than originally planned, but it’s going to be published in Canada via HarperCollins Canada and the US / rest of the English-speaking world via Rodale. I’m still in shock.
Anyway, let’s celebrate with chocolate. I’ve two recipes for you. One is a newly created, ultra-decadent, romantic French dessert scaled down for two. The other is a healthy, family-friendly treat for those with real kids or just a very persistent inner child. It’s one of my favourites and courtesy of Mairlyn Smith.
So get out the baking chocolate, find a few extra dish cloths to mop up the spills, and say I love you with food.
Two Chocolate Valentine’s Day Recipes
Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies: It’s a brownie. It’s a cookie. It’s so addictive it might earn you a membership in the exclusive Royal Society of Chocolate Lovers. Loaded with cocoa, chocolate chips and crunchy cocoa nibs, you’d never guess this treat has no dairy and is actually good for you. Click the photo to be trasnported to the recipe. They’re not kept in the TARDIS cookie jar for nothing.
For those who want a silky, decadent romantic treat for two, there are Pots de Créme. Grab a spoon and dim the light.
No clicking necessary. The recipe is directly below.
Specially scaled for two, this version of pots de creme is like a chocolate truffle in a ramekin. While you can substitute whole milk for half the cream, this decadent, once-a-year treat can use up an entire 250 ML (1 cup) container of cream. So look at the cost savings rather than the calorie count.
Scale
Ingredients
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2oz good quality dark chocolate, chopped (at least 75% cocoa)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
whipped cream
chocolate shavings
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F and place a rack in the centre of the oven.
In a small, heavy bottomed pan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer over medium heat. You know the cream is ready when small bubbles form at the edges. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and stir gently until the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar until pale yellow and slightly thick. In a slow, steady stream, pour the warm chocolate custard into the yolks, whisking the yolks as you pour. Whisk in the vanilla.
Divide the chocolate custard evenly between two ramekins (4-ounce ramekins are ideal but you can use tea cups or any small oven-proof bowl). Place the filled ramekins in a baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish to come half way up the sides of the ramekins to create a water bath. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. The timing varies with the size of ramekin. The pots de crème are done with the edges are firm but thee centres jiggle when gently shaken.
Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the cooled custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream. You can add a 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and some sugar if you wish, but plain cream is classic. Place a generous dollop of whipped cream in the centre of the pot de creme, sprinkle with some chocolate shavings and serve immediately.
