With chocolate Day coming close, get ready to embark on a delightful culinary journey that will make your taste buds bloom with joy. If you are preparing an intimate dinner for two, these delectable treats are sure to elevate your celebrations. Explore a collection of exquisite desserts crafted to add a touch of romance to your festivities and begin a journey of love on a sweet note. Surprise your loved one with your culinary skills, crafting dishes that not only taste divine but also speak the language of love.


1. Sweethearts’ Scarlet Temptation (By Chef Savita Patil, Vice Principal at Lexicon Institute of Hotel Management,Pune)


Ingredients:


For Base (Red Velvet Cake)



  • Flour- 125gm

  • Cocoa Powder- 15gm

  • Buttermilk- 120ml

  • Red Colour- 2 Teaspoon

  • Butter- 60gm

  • Castor Sugar- 150gm

  • Baking Soda- ½ tea spoon

  • Vinegar- ½ tea spoon

  • Egg- 1no

  • Vanilla Essence- ½ tea spoon

  • Salt- ¼ tea spoon


For Cheese Cake



  • Fresh Cream- 100ml

  • White Chocolate- 200gm

  • Cream Cheese- 200gm

  • Whipping Cream- 100ml

  • Strawberry Pulp- 75gm

  • Strawberry Slices- 100gm


Method:



  • Mix flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

  • Stir red color with buttermilk.

  • Cream butter, castor sugar, eggs and vanilla essence.

  • Fold flour in the creamed mixture.

  • Fold buttermilk and flour alternately.

  • Quickly mix vinegar and soda it will froth.

  • Add this quickly to the flour mix and put it in a flat tin.

  • Bake at 190 °cat 30-35 minutes.

  • Boil the fresh cream & add chopped white chocolate in it. Allow it to cool.

  • Whip the cream and keep it aside.

  • Cream the cream cheese until all lumps are broken & fold in white chocolate ganache, whipped cream and strawberry pulp. Refrigerate for 3-4 four hours

  • Fill this mixture in a piping bag fitted with a big savoy nozzle.

  • Cut the Red Velvet cake with 3-inch heart shape cutter.

  • Pipe out the cheese cake mixture on the first layer of cake and gently place second heart and pipe the cheese cake mixture on it.

  • Repeat this one more time and decorate with sliced strawberries on top and serve cold.


 



Sweetheart's Scarlet Temptation (Image Source: Special Arrangement)


2. Breakfast parfait (Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey India)


Ingredients  



  • 50 grams corn flakes

  • 50 grams oats

  • 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut

  • 2 teaspoons Caramael flavoured syrup

  • 4 tablespoons Raisins

  • 4 tablespoons walnuts

  • 4 tablespoons almonds

  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries

  • 2 tablespoons Melon seeds

  • 1 1/2 cup thick yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

  • 1 cup fresh fruits (cubed)


 Equipment Needed  



  • Oven 

  • Whisk 

  • 2 serving glasses 

  • Oven tray 

  • 2 mixing bowls 


Process  



  • Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees. 

  • In a large bowl, add oats, cornflakes, desiccated coconut, your dry fruits, and melon seeds. 

  • Pour the Caramel Flavored syrup over it and mix well. 

  • Spread this mixture evenly on an oven tray and bake for 8-10 minutes. Take care not to burn it. 

  • In another bowl, take the yogurt and pour the Chocolate Flavored syrup over it, whisk it together. 

  • Take a glass and add a thick layer of chocolate yogurt.

  • Add the oats and cornflakes mixture over it.  

  • Put your fresh cubed fruit over that layer. 

  • Now put another, thinner layer of yogurt and add oats and cornflakes mix over that as well.  

  • Serve chilled! 


3. Chocolate Hearts (By Chef Arvind Prasad, Co-Founder, Executive Pastry Chef  and Academic Director at Whitecaps International School of Pastry)


For Chocolate Mousse 



  • 124 gms Cream

  • 124 gms Milk 

  • 26 gms Sugar 

  • 50 gms Egg yolk 

  • 250 gms Dark chocolate 

  • 450 gms Whipped Chocolate 


Method: 



  • Boil milk and cream. 

  • Temper the egg yolk and sugar and mix it with the milk mixture. 

  • Sieve and cook till 80℃. 

  • Add the couverture at 70℃. 

  • Fold in the whipped cream at 40℃. 

  • Assemble in the heart-shaped mould immediately.


Red Glaze for Mousse:


Ingredients:



  • 95 gms Water 

  • 170 gms Sugar 

  • 170 gms Liquid glucose 

  • 120 gms Condensed milk 

  • 170 gms White couverture 

  • 102 gms Gelatin bloomed 

  • 68 gms Neutral glaze

  • Red food colour as required 


Method:



  • Heat water and sugar till the sugar gets dissolved. 

  • Add liquid glucose and cook till 103℃ 

  • Add condensed milk, white couverture and neutral glaze. 

  • Add gelatin at 50℃ and blend with colour avoiding any air bubbles. 

  • Glaze when heart shaped mousse is frozen. 

  • Plate as per the design for your loved one.



Chocolate Hearts (Image Source: Special Arrangement)


4. Nutty Strawberry Chocolate Barks (By Ayushi Gupta-Mehra, the foodiediaries)


Ingredients:



  • 1/3 cup Macadamia nuts

  • 1 cup dark chocolate

  • Fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

  • Optional: Coconut flakes or sea salt for topping


Method:



  • Lightly toast 1/3 cup of macadamia nuts until they glisten with a golden hue. Set them aside for later.

  • Melt 1 cup of high-quality dark chocolate; choose the best you can find. You can either do this in the microwave or use a double-boiler method.

  • Thinly slice fresh strawberries and arrange them neatly on a large tray, following the steps shown in the accompanying video.

  •  Sprinkle the toasted macadamia nuts over the strawberries, and then generously pour the melted chocolate.

  • Optional: For an extra layer of flavor, finish off with a drizzle of coconut flakes or a sprinkle of sea salt.

  • Let the barks set by refrigerating them. Once firm, break them into bite-sized pieces, Enjoy!