Got a sweet tooth? Treat someone special on Valentine's Day with these rich chocolate-themed recipes courtesy of chefs from Capsicum Culinary Studio.
Chocolate and raspberry tarts
Ingredients
8 mini tartlet moulds
200g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
60g unsalted butter
90g brown sugar
60ml cream
3 eggs
25g all-purpose flour
250g fresh raspberries
Ganache
300g 70% dark chocolate
250ml cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the chocolate, butter, sugar, and cream in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.
Remove from the stove. Place eggs and flour in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
Slowly mix the eggs and flour into the chocolate mixture a little at a time, making sure the chocolate mixture is not too hot, or it will cook the eggs.
Pour into individual tartlet moulds and bake for 35-40 minutes.
For the ganache: Place chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.
Spoon over tarts. Once cooled, top with fresh raspberries.
Flourless chocolate cake
Ingredients
675g dark chocolate
350g salted butter
9 eggs
Spray & Cook
Cocoa powder for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Spray a cake tin with Spray & Cook and dust with the cocoa powder, making sure to cover the entire surface area of your tin.
In a bowl over a double boiler, whisk eggs over medium to low heat until the mixture starts to take on a custard-like consistency.
Make sure you are whisking constantly and that the water in the pot never makes contact with the base of the bowl. Your sabayon is ready once there are no longer bubbles visible in the custard.
Strain the egg mixture through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a separate bowl over the double boiler, stirring occasionally.
Stream the melted chocolate mixture into the sabayon while whisking until both mixtures are well incorporated. Strain again.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and gently tap the tin on your counter to level out the mixture.
Place the tin in a deep tray and pour hot water so that it comes to about halfway up the height of the tray.
Cover the tin with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5-10 ten minutes.
The cake should be set but be slightly wet in the centre. You can use a skewer to check.
Remove from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature.
Cover and set in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.
Warm the exterior of the tin by dipping it in boiling water to help remove the cake from the tin before slicing.
Use a knife dipped in hot water to slice the cake.
Chef's notes: This flourless cake goes well with vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle and caramelised banana, or Chantilly cream with a berry compote.
Red velvet chocolate chip cookies
Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1½ tsp cornstarch
½ tsp bicarb of soda
¼ tsp salt
125g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
½ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2-3 tsp red food colouring
¾ cup chocolate chips (dark, milk, or white)
Method
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, bicarb, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, vanilla, and food colouring. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until fully combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Scoop equal size balls with a tablespoon and place them in the lined tray about 5cm apart.
Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool on the tray for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Chocolate truffles
Ingredients
175g milk chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp butter, unsalted
4 tbsp icing sugar
50g ground almonds (optional)
50g grated chocolate (any kind)
Method
Melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in icing sugar and ground almonds (optional).
Leave the mixture in a cool place until firm enough to roll into balls. Place the grated chocolate on a plate and roll the truffles in the chocolate to coat them thoroughly.
Place the truffles in mini muffin cups and chill in the refrigerator.