Do you want to make a killer dessert for your sweet one on Valentine’s Day?
That’s a loaded question.
The American vernacular accepts “killer” as something that is lavish and lush, successful, exciting, impressive. When other words fail, some of the most knockdown desserts are thus described. Killer is flaunted like a badge of honor in a battle claimed by the richest, most sinful offerings.
Flourless chocolate cake with chocolate cream frosting and Grand Marnier creme anglaise-a killer!
Caramel bread pudding with whiskey cream sauce-a killer!
Raspberry tart in puff pastry with pastry cream-a killer!
But here’s the rub: Those magical ingredients-mountains of whipping cream, gobs of butter, pools of chocolate and lots of eggs-that plunk desserts into the killer category drive cardiologists and nutritionists wild. And, unfortunately, not always with rapture.
When they talk about killer desserts, they’re more likely to be speaking in a literal, “heart attack on a plate” sense. Fat is the lethal weapon, they say, the culprit that makes “killer” desserts deadly.
So what desserts does that leave for love bugs to indulge in on Valentine’s Day?
Whatever their hearts desire, actually.
How to budget fat
Dieters and the health conscious are inculcated with a defeatists’ dogma of denial: “Don’t eat this, don’t eat that.” But the tendency to describe foods as “good” or “bad” has worn thin and is falling out of favor. Balance and moderation now are mantras chanted by the relieved and diet-weary. The revisionist diet is more likely to allow leeway and occasional indulgent lapses as long as the final numbers add up.
“We’re not asking people to feel deprived,” says Wahida Karmally, American Dietetics Association spokesman and director of nutrition at the Irving Center of Clinical Research at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
“You can do fat budgeting. If they want the dessert that’s heavy with fat, they can borrow their allowance from the day before or after.”
Susan Powter, author of “Stop the Insanity,” a permissive and forgiving anti-diet approach to weight-loss, suggests that fat in food is one of the few things that must be given up: “Fat makes you fat,” she writes.
By her account, her now-svelte frame, size 2-4 (that’s not size 24, it’s size 2 or size 4), was whittled down from 260 pounds by breathing right, exercising and eating lots of food, but almost no fat.
“You can have one cookie or 20 cups of rice,” Powter offers. “Same amount of fat.”
Never give up dessert
She never says give up dessert, only fat. This doesn’t mean you should eat 20 cups of rice for a romantic dessert. It just means that you should think about it and make a choice.
If you want to have a traditional, mega-rich indulgence, go right ahead. It’ll taste good, and it probably won’t kill you, especially if you borrow the fat from two meals before and after Valentine’s Day.
And you won’t be alone. Pundits and trendwatchers say we’ve had enough of clean living, at least on a full-time basis. The rebellious spirit of backlash has settled into the dieting psyche of Americans, paving the way for more tolerance toward foods and lifestyles that had become tarnished.
On the other hand, if your taste favors the low-fat and lean, then indulge your whims along those lines but don’t settle for bad versions of great desserts.
In the spirit of freedom of choice, the Food Guide offers three sets of desserts: One version in each set gets the lavish “killer” treatment. The other focuses on an alternative choice that gives similar ingredients a sleek treatment: A bold citrus compote with candied rind and an intensely fragrant syrup. Wine-poached pears with a subtle hint of sweet spices. And chocolate to make the most dedicated chocolate-lover swoon.
More or less. Lavish or light. Devil or angel. The choice is yours.
CAPPUCCINO CHOCOLATE HEART CAKES
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 9 servings
These little sweethearts are adapted from the “Chicago Tribune Holidays.” If you like your cappuccino topped with a dash of cinnamon, emulate the taste by adding 1 teaspoon of it to the batter.
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup each: buttermilk, double strength or espresso coffee
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces each: semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, melted separately
Fresh raspberries for garnish
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside.
2. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix buttermilk, coffee and vanilla. Alternately add to batter with flour mixture.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely; peel off paper.
4. Cut heart shapes from cake, using a 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Stir espresso powder and confectioners’ sugar together. Sift over hearts. Transfer to individual serving plates. Dip tines of a fork into semisweet chocolate and drizzle over hearts. Repeat with white chocolate. Garnish with raspberries.
KIND-HEARTED CHOCOLATE CAKES
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 9 hearts
This cake, with absolutely no butter or oil in it, is suprisingly light and tender. The no-fat hot fudge topping makes the cake moist and luscious. It is best served the day it is baked.
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fat-free hot fudge topping, such as Mrs. Richardson’s
1/2 cup double strength or espresso coffee
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder or cocoa powder
Several drops water
Fat-free hot fudge topping, such as Mrs. Richardson’s, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, smoothing out as many wrinkles as possible. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Stir 3/4 cup chocolate topping, coffee and vanilla together; set aside.
2. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large bowl of electric mixer on high speed for 4 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed and add coffee mixture. Mix until combined then add cocoa; mix well. Stop the mixer and add flour mixture; mix until combined.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until it springs back when lightly pressed in the center, about 35 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; lift foil from pan and transfer cake to a wire rack. Cool completely.
4. Peel away foil. Cut 2 1/2-inch hearts from the cake, using a heart-shaped cookie cutter or a cardboard template as a guide. Place it on top of cake and cut through cake with a slender, pointed knife. Stir 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and espresso together and sift over hearts. Transfer to serving plates. Stir remaining confectioners’ sugar and enough water together to make a thin glaze. Dip tines of fork into confectioners’ sugar glaze and drizzle over cake. Repeat with chocolate topping.
CRIMSON ORANGE MOUSSE
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 3 1/2 hours
Yield: 8 servings
Blood oranges, now in season, are plump with lovely scarlet-red juice. If they’re not available, use a selection of tangerines or navel oranges.
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup blood orange juice, from 3 to 4 blood oranges
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Campari liqueur
1 cup whipping cream
1. Put 2 tablespoons water in a small dish. Sprinkle gelatin over the surface; let stand until gelatin is absorbed, several minutes. Place dish in a bowl of very hot water; set aside.
2. Combine orange juice, lemon juice, egg yolks and 4 tablespoons sugar in the top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water, stirring often, until mixture thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir gelatin mixture then mix it into juice mixture; remove from heat. Place in refrigerator until mixture begins to gel but does not set. Add Campari.
3. Beat egg whites in small bowl of electric mixer until foamy. Slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until egg whites hold soft peaks. Gently fold into juice mixture. Beat cream until it holds soft peaks; fold into juice mixture.
4. Transfer to a large serving dish or smaller individual bowls and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
Note: This recipe uses raw egg whites. Some cases of salmonella have been traced to raw eggs, although this is rare. Chances of finding salmonella in raw egg whites as opposed to yolks is rarer still.
CITRUS COMPOTE WITH CRANBERRIES AND CANDIED ORANGE RIND
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Standing time: Several hours
Yield: 4 servings
Blood oranges are stellar in both looks and taste. In a fat-free reworking of the mousse, these traits are exploited at the expense of the rich eggs and cream.
2 blood oranges
2 seedless tangerines or clementines
1/2 lemon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Campari liqueur
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Remove the rind (colored part only) from 1 blood orange and 1 tangerine in long pieces with a vegetable peeler. Cut rind into very fine strips, using a paring knife. Put in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat to a boil and cook 3 minutes; remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Drain well; set rind aside.
2. Combine both sugars and 2 cups of water in same pan. Heat to a boil; add rinds and boil, uncovered, until the rind is coated with a light syrup, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
3. Peel oranges, tangerines and lemon half as follows: Cut a flat bottom and stand upright. Slice off all skin and white pith with a serrated knife. Slice oranges and tangerines crosswise into 1/4-inch slices; cut lemon into paper-thin slices. Combine in a bowl, add cranberries, lemon juice, Campari and vanilla. Let stand at least 2 hours before serving.
Note: Dried cranberries are available in specialty markets and some large supermarkets.
PEAR TARTLETS
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 sheet ( 1/2 of a 17-ounce box) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 firm ripe pears, peeled, cored, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons sweet white wine, preferably muscat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons whipping cream
Sabayon sauce:
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sweet white wine, preferably muscat
1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll pastry on a floured board to thin it out slightly. Cut out four 3-inch circles. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Brush lightly with beaten egg and pierce all over with tines of a fork. Bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. About halfway through baking, pierce again to let air bubbles escape. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
2. Place pear halves, cut-side down, in an 8-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with wine, dot with butter and top with sugar. Bake until pears are almost tender, turning over halfway through, 15 to 20 minutes. When pears are tender, add cream and continue baking until it thickens and becomes a tawny brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Pears can be held at room temperature for several hours.
3. Assemble shortly before serving. Cut pear halves lengthwise into thin slices, leaving them attached at the stem end. Spread a small amount of the cream from the pears over the center of each pastry round. Fan pears across. Place in a 400-degree oven for 3 to 4 minutes to heat.
4. For sauce, whisk egg yolks in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Add sugar, wine and water and beat thoroughly. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is light and foamy, about 6 minutes. Top tartlets with sauce and serve immediately.
WINE-POACHED PEARS IN PHYLLO NESTS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: Several hours
Yield: 2 servings
2 firm, ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, stems left on
1 1/4 cups muscat wine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 long strip lemon rind, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Phyllo nests:
2 sheets phyllo dough
1 teaspoon melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1. Core pears from the bottom, using the tip of a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler and removing core and seeds. Place on their sides in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Add wine, sugar, honey, spices, lemon rind and lemon juice. Heat to a boil; cover partially and simmer until pears are tender. Timing depends on how ripe they are; start testing with a slender skewer after 15 minutes for as long as 30 minutes. Cool in syrup.
2. For phyllo nests, heat oven to 400 degrees. Stack phyllo sheets and cut into quarters; stack again and cut into thin ribbons with a sharp knife. Divide in half. Working on an ungreased baking sheet, shape each portion into a loose, flat nest. Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until light brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.
3. To serve, remove pears from syrup; boil syrup, uncovered, until it is thick and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Place each phyllo nest on a dessert plate. Top with a pear and drizzle reduced syrup over all.
