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.

“Zhuang Yuan” rice cake

Zhuang Yuan is an ancient Chinese word, which means No 1 Scholar.  The origin of this sweet dim sum's name has many different versions.  In the most common one, in ancient China every three years there is final national examination in Forbidden Palace; the top three can get position in the central government.   That means wealth. so that's very important; people work their whole life to prepare for the test. Before the examination family and friends will make this rice cake as for good luck.  The cake is shaped like the hat which Zhuang Yuan wear. I don't have the right mold for it so I just used muffin cups.  If you want an authentic one you have fly to Taiwan. 

This rice cake is made with sticky rice flour and filled with ground sesame or ground peanuts, then steamed.  Sticky rice makes the cake really glutinous and full of aroma after every bite.   The only problem is that you have to brush your teeth carefully after you eat it!  You can eat it hot and cold.  This cake is lighter and healthier than most western desserts.

Steam rice cake 

Yield 12 

Ingredients

 

sugar   30g

water 140g

sticky rice flour 200g

almond flour  50g

peanut filling：

peanut butter 35g

icing sugar 20g

sesame filling：

ground black sesame  20g

icing sugar  20g

butter  1tbsp

 Methods:

1. Melt sugar in the water, then add sticky rice flour and almond flour, mix by hand well, and set aside for 1 hour.  This cake is easy to make，only this step needs time and patience: after the flour is mixed with water, it needs to be sifted.   It's kind of difficult, because it's wet so you need to use a spoon to push it down through the sieve. 

    2. Sift the icing sugar, then add to the sesame and peanut butter to make filling, divide to 6 equal             portions. 

    3. Put 1/3 of the flour into the cupcake molds, then put in the steamer.

     4. Boil the water first, then steam them for 5 mins

    5. Open the steamer and put the filling in the middle.  Add the remaining 2/3 flour on the top and    

        around the filling.
    6. Steam another 5 mins.

                

I added too much filling, but still yummy!

 
                           

Authentic  Zhuang Yuan rice cake

 

The mold for the cake: you only steam one cake at a time!

This cake was from Qing Dynasty; but now only the Taiwanese keep the tradition and pass it down.  That's another reason I like Taiwan, they respect traditional culture better than the Chinese. One day I definitely will fly to Taiwan and indulge in all the delicious street food.