Joanna Brady Schmida's - "Keys Cuisine"
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Bake a Valentine's Day Treat for Your Sweetheart

By Joanna Brady Schmida

Today is Valentine's Day, the one day we tend to forget about diets and cholesterol readings and treat ourselves to a little chocolate.

Valentine's Day goes back to ancient times when people paid honor to the Roman god of fertility at the feast of Lupercalia on Feb. 14, formerly thought to be the first day of birds mating for the season. It has become a day to exchange romantic cards and flowers and romantic dinners out, also small gifts with chocolates and jewelry the favorites. In addition, many an engagement ring has been slipped onto an anticipatory ring finger on this day (I include my own engagement here).

While 75 percent of chocolate purchases are made by women during the year, on the days before Valentine's Day, 75 percent of the chocolate purchases are made by men. More than $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased for Valentine's Day in the U.S. alone.

Chocolate is credited for everything wonderful, from being an aphrodisiac to an antidepressant. Since it's the overwhelming favorite sweet flavor in this country and around the world, it's hard to believe that it began as a bitter, spicy drink in Mexico. It was Cortes who brought it back to Spain in the 16th century. Sugar was added and it became very popular among the elite. Later it became the drink of the French court.

In the 19th century, the Swiss hit on the idea of mixing it with Henry Nestlé's condensed milk to turn it into a smooth syrup. The Dutch discovered a process to remove the bitterness by squeezing out the cocoa butter. It wasn't until 1879 that Rodolphe Lindt of Switzerland hit on a way to add the cocoa butter back without the bitterness. This created a new, solidified texture that made way for chocolate candy and baked goods.

If chocolate candy doesn't appeal to your honey, you might like to bake one of these chocolate treats for him or her for Valentine's Day, something like the sachertorte -- a cake with a history.

In 1832, Prince Metternich of Austria asked his chef to create a special dessert for some important guests. When the chef became ill, the task fell to his 16-year old apprentice, Franz Sacher. The recipe was kept secret and passed on to Sacher's eldest son, Eduard, who opened the Hotel Sacher in Vienna after working at the Demel Bakery. For some time, the bakery and the hotel fought for legal ownership of the name sachertorte, with the hotel winning out.

When I had this cake at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, it was served "mit schlag," i.e. with a mound of unsweetened whipped cream on the side.

Sachertorte

(Not the original recipe, of course, but very good!)

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1 batch chocolate glaze (recipe follows)

1 1/4 cup apricot glaze (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 400°. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Dust the sides of the pan with flour. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over hot water. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring often, until cool. Beat butter in a bowl until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until light in color and texture. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and when they hold their shape, add granulated sugar. Continue until mixture forms soft, shiny peaks. Stir about one fourth of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites, leaving a few visible streaks of the whites. Sift half of the flour over the chocolate mixture, and fold in with a whisk or rubber spatula. Repeat with remaining flour.

Spread in the prepared spring form pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. (The cake should dome in the center.) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove paper and invert back onto another rack to turn it right side up. Cool completely.

To assemble: Using a long serrated knife, trim top of the cake to make it level. Cut the cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place one cake layer onto a plate. Brush the top with the apricot glaze. Place the second layer on top and brush again. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze. Let cool until set.

Make the chocolate glaze. While still warm, pour it on top of cake. Gently smooth over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Even it out with a knife so that sides are well coated. Cool and refrigerate until chocolate glaze is set, at least one hour. Remove cake from refrigerator about one hour before serving.

Slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and serve with large dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.

Apricot glaze

1 1/4 cups apricot jam or preserves

2 tbsp Grand Marnier or water

Heat the apricot jam until thinned. Pour it through a sieve to remove fruit pulp. Add liqueur or water. Paint the cake lightly with the glaze.

Chocolate glaze

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tbsp butter plus 1 teaspoon

1 tbsp light corn syrup

2 tbsp Triple Sec or Grand Marnier or water

In a double boiler over hot water, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add liqueur or water.

Chocolate-Covered

Strawberries

(These days, I often prefer a quick and light dessert like this one)

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate pieces

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulls intact, washed and dried

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. In a one-quart microwave-proof bowl, place the chocolate, then add the butter on top in center. Microwave on medium for two minutes, then stir. Continue microwaving on medium for 30 seconds to one minute more, until chocolate and butter are all melted, stirring frequently.

Using the strawberry hulls as handles, partially dip the strawberries into chocolate, twirling the strawberries in the chocolate to cover berries. Then place berries, hull side down, on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Bread

Pudding

1 ounce bitter chocolate

3/4 cup stale bread crumbs

2 cups scalded milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Soak bread in 1 3/4 cup milk for 1/2 hour; melt chocolate over hot water; add sugar and remaining 1/4 cup milk to make smooth paste. Add to bread with salt, vanilla and egg slightly beaten. Place in well buttered pudding dish and bake 1/2 hour until set. Serve with cream or vanilla sauce.

Vanilla sauce

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Melt the butter, add flour and stir until it bubbles. Add the boiling water and sugar. Boil until smooth and thoroughly cooked. Add flavoring, strain and serve hot.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

(The flourless cake)

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

8 eggs separated

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3 tbsp rum or brandy

chocolate curls to decorate

Ganache frosting

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

2 tbsp rum or brandy

2 tbsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch spring form pans and line with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate with the butter over hot water. Beat in the yolks and rum. In a separate bowl, beat whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Divide about 2/3 of the mousse into the two pans, chilling the remaining third. Bake mousse until puffed. Cool on wire racks, remove sides of pans. Wash one of the pans for assembly.

Place one layer, flat side down, back in the clean pan. Spread the cooled mousse from the fridge over the top. Place the second layer over it. Chill for two to four hours.

Make the ganache. Bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate and rum. Beat in the softened butter. Set aside for five minutes. Run a knife around the cake in the pan to loosen; remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto a wire rack over a baking sheet. Pour on the ganache all at once and spread quickly. Top with chocolate curls. Place on serving plate.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Pastry

1/2 cup flour, plus extra for dusting

3 1/2 ounces butter, diced

1 tbsp sugar

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water

Filling

2 ounces butter

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 cup corn syrup

3 eggs

2 1/2 ounces firmly packed dark brown sugar

6 ounces pecans, chopped

Topping

whipped cream (optional garnish)

1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional)

Make the pie dough. Mix ingredients and knead lightly to form a firm dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill a couple of hours. Roll out dough on a floured board and line an 8-inch pie plate or tart pan with the dough.

For filling, heat butter in a small pan until melted. Sift in cocoa and stir in the syrup. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add syrup mixture and chopped pecans. Pour the mixture into the prepared pastry shell.

Heat oven to 375° and bake pie for 35 to 40 minutes or till just set. Let cool and serve slightly warm with whipped cream dusted with sifted cocoa.