Valentine’s chocolate desserts – Recipe Roundup

I'm still trying to decide which one of these decadent chocolate desserts to make for Valentine's Day -- which one makes you salivate?

It’s no secret that chocolate and I are very, very good friends. Even though I think that Valentine’s Day is a made-up holiday created by the card companies and perpetrated by every other retailer in the world to guilt us into spending our hard-earned money on our loved ones because you must make a showy display of your affection, I still think any reason to celebrate chocolate is valid. Romance, not so much. Do that every day, if you must. But chocolate … well, do that every day too, but make it extra-special for Valentine’s Day.

I haven’t decided what chocolate dessert Keith and I will cook up for Valentine’s Day yet, but I sure have found plenty of contenders. Frankly, chocolate-dipped strawberries would suit me just fine, but Keith wants to try something a little more decadent. That’s fine by me because I’ve got a long, long list of decadent chocolate desserts just waiting to be chosen.

I’m head-over-heels in love with Mexican hot chocolate (as is Kona) so this Mexican chocolate tart with cinnamon-spiced pecans is definitely in the running. It’s a little labor-intensive, so we’ll see. It’s hard to justify when I can make a flourless chocolate cake with five ingredients and toss in some cinnamon and vanilla, you know?

Now this recipe for chocolate espresso spelt cake is one I can definitely get into. There aren’t a lot of recipes I find designed to use my favorite flour, so I usually just substitute. It’s loaded with dates, so I’d definitely cut back on the sugar because I know it would be far too sweet for my taste. I want to enjoy the bitterness of my chocolate, not mask it with sweetness.

Will Keith allow me to fall back on one of my old favorites, chocolate orange truffles? These are so rich you won’t be popping them like candy, although you’ll feel so special just savoring the one or two that you do indulge in.

One of my favorite local restaurants, Romaine’s, has a killer fallen chocolate cake dessert. It’s laying in a puddle of raspberry coulis and topped with homemade vanilla ice cream and creme fraiche and it’s so close to perfect that you’ll want to skip dinner and order two. These individual chocolate melting cakes might just do the trick, and probably aren’t too shabby served with the caramel sauce and coffee ice cream recommended. Or maybe these molten chocolate cakes are where I’m going…. Then again, this recipe for falling chocolate cake with raspberry sauce might be THE very same recipe as Romaine’s, right down to the sprig of mint.

How about a good ol’ chocolate mousse? It’s been a long time since I’ve had chocolate mousse (probably since my father stopped making it and become obsessed with all things creme brulee) and that might be just the thing to top our romantic dinner for two. Or three, if Owen has his way.

One last recipe I’ve been dying to make is this chocolate almond torte … flourless with almond meal and lots of bittersweet chocolate. I’d leave out the vile almond extract (who likes that stuff?) and maybe add some vanilla instead.

I’ll report back with the recipe we actually do for our special dessert, and in the meantime, you can do two things for me. Either vote in the comments for which one of these recipes you’d do, or let me know what you’ll be making!