Receta Valentine’s Day Chocolate and Elvis Costello
There’s something about warm chocolate that automatically says “I Love You”.
Do you agree?
When my husband (then boyfriend)and I were starving college students in Arizona, we would save our money for a special evening out at a little romantic restaurant each Valentine’s Day. We would pull up in our ’72 Volkswagon bug,(it was a very OLD car) and my husband would hand the valet a towel and a skrewdriver.
My husband would explain that the valet would need to lay down on the towel and reach underneath the car with the screw driver in order to get the car to start when he was ready to return our VW. Thankfully, the valet attendants were also college students, so the whole idea of having to do such a crazy thing didn’t seem even the slightest bit strange. Looking back, I have to laugh…
Though I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, or what we ordered for dinner, I can tell you what we always ordered for dessert… Chocolate Souffle. It was light, warm, and oh so good.
The recipe I am about to share with you is not a traditional souffle, but the texture of the cake is very light and souffle like, with deep chocolate flavor and a hint of orange. I know Valentine’s Day is just one day away, which is cutting it a little close for this post. But guess what? This recipe is a cinch to put together, with just a few ingredients, and you don’t need any special baking skills to pull it off.
Best of all, the batter may be made up to a day ahead of time, poured into ramekins and refrigerated. When you are ready to bake them, pop them into the oven for just 7 minutes and your individual “I love yous” will be done.
On the very first Valentine’s Day we spent together, we were on a tight budget. Saving up for a special dinner was quite the treat, and didn’t leave a whole lot for anything that would be purchased from the store. Instead, my husband played a song for me; a song my husband has never forgotten to play for me on each of the Valentine’s Days that have followed (and there have been a lot!).
To me, that is what Valentine’s day is all about.
Fresh out of the oven, the top gets a thin crackly crust.
Chocolate and Grand Marnier Souffle Cakes
I like to serve them warm, with a dollop of whipped cream.
- 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 tablespoon orange grated zest
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream
Combine chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, egg yolks, orange zest, and liqueur in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Sift flour over; using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour. Fold in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among ramekins. Cover and chill until cold and firm, at least 25 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake ramekins on baking sheet until tops are puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter attached, about 7 minutes. Serve cakes with sweetened whipped cream.
Makes 8 cakes