Valentine’s day Dessert

This molten chocolate dessert is the ultimate in decadence to impress your loved one this Valentine’s day. 

Volcano chocolate cake with strawberry coulis and caramelized pistachios 

Adapt form Le Cordon bleu

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

·         Caramelized pistachios

50 g sugar

50 g shelled unsalted pistachios

Strawberry coulis

100 g strawberries, hulled

20 ml water

30 g sugar

chocolate cake

150 g dark chocolate, chopped

150 g butter

3 eggs

4 egg yolks

150 g powdered sugar

45 g flour

45 g unsweetened cocoa powder

unsweetened cocoa powder for the molds

Decoration

powdered sugar

125 g strawberries, hulled and cut into two 

  

6 x 4.5 cm diameter x 4.5 cm high molds

I don't have this mold, so I used muffin molds

Method:

Caramelized pistachios:

Place the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir. Once a golden caramel color is obtained, remove from heat. Using a toothpick, dip the pistachios and coat lightly in caramel. Set aside to dry on parchment paper removing the toothpick (being careful not to touch the hot caramel).

Strawberry coulis:

In a food processor or with a hand blender, purée the strawberries, water and sugar, and then strain through a fine china cap sieve. Refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

chocolate cake:

Line molds with parchment paper. Place a disk of parchment paper the size of the molds in the bottom of each one and a double-thick band of paper to stand 3 cm above the rim of the molds. Dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Melt the chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Remove from heat, add butter and mix well. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks and strain through a fine china cap sieve into the chocolate mixture, stir to combine. Sift the sugar, flour and unsweetened cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture, stir to combine. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip and fill the prepared molds. Bake in the oven until the tops are set and coming away from the sides, about 5 to 8 minutes.

To serve:

Unmold the warm soft centered chocolate cake and carefully remove the paper. Arrange in center of a plate, dust with powdered sugar and top with caramelized pistachios. Decorate with strawberry halves and strawberry coulis to your taste.