Romantic desserts for your Valentine

Pudding Cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups whole milk, 120gm dark chocolate, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3tbsp cornflour, 2 eggs 1tsp vanilla essence

Method:
1. In a pan, whisk sugar and 11/2 cups milk. Heat on mediumhigh until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Take off heat; add chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. 2. In a bowl, whisk cocoa, cornflour, and remaining 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Whisk in eggs. Add 1/2 cup of the hot chocolate mixture in a slow stream. 3. Heat remaining chocolate mixture on medium-low. Whisking constantly, gradually add egg mixture to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add vanilla essence. Divide among 6 cups. Chill for 4 hours or up to 2 days.

True Love Espresso Pots

Ingredients:
100gm white chocolate, broken 75ml double cream,  1/4 tsp coffee powder

Method:
1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water; cool. 2. Pour cream into a bowl and whisk until stiff. 3. Fold chocolate and coffee powder into cream. 4. Pour mixture into cups. garnish.

Grasshopper Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1/4 tsp salt,  1/2 cup butter, softened , 11/4 cup plus 1tbsp sugar, 3 eggs, 20 mint-chocolate thins, 11/2 cups heavy or whipping cream (available at specialty food stores)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175C. 2. Grease a 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan; line with butter paper. 3. Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. 4. In a bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat butter and 11/4 cups sugar until blended. Increase speed to high; beat for 3 minutes or until mixture is light and creamy. 5. Lower speed; add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat to combine. 6. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan, about 40 minutes. 7. Meanwhile, break the chocolate into small bits (you need about 1/2 cup for the garnish and 1/3 cup for the filling). 8. With a small knife, loosen cake sides from butter paper; invert cake onto a cutting board. Carefully remove butter paper. With a sharp knife, trim 1/4 -inch from each side of cake. Cut cake into 3 equal rectangles, horizontally. 9. In a bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat cream and remaining 1tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form. 10. With a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 cup mints into whipped cream. 11. Place 1 cake rectangle on a serving plate; top with 1 generous cup of whipped-cream mixture and spread evenly. Repeat with the two layers and cream mixture. 12. Sprinkle top with 1/3 cup mint chocolate. Cover and refrigerate cake if not serving right away.

Molten Cake

Ingredients:
1/4 cup granulated sugar, 120gm dark chocolate, chopped, 1/2 cup small pieces of butter
1/4 cup whipped cream (available at any large food store) 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 1/4 cup flour (maida) 2 eggs 2 egg yolks Icing sugar, for dusting Whipped cream or vanilla icecream, to serve (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease 6 ramekins. Dust with sugar. 2. In a pan, melt chocolate, butter, and cream over low heat; stir occasionally. Take off heat; add the vanilla essence. Whisk in flour until smooth. 3. In a medium bowl, with the mixer at high speed, beat 1/4 cup granulated sugar, eggs and yolks until thick and lemon-coloured, about 10 minutes. Add the egg mixture, one-third at a time, to the chocolate mixture and mix until well combined. 4. Divide batter evenly among the prepared ramekins. (Can be made ahead. Wrap well and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 2 weeks.) Place the ramekins in a large baking tin and bake cakes until the edges are set but the centres still jiggle, about 8 to 10 minutes. 5. Cool in the ramekins on a wire rack for 3 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides of the ramekins to loosen the cakes; invert onto plates. Dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately with cream or icecream, if desired.

Strawberry Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
4 cm piece root ginger, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, A pinch of coarsely ground black pepper (optional), 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced 225 g yellow fleshed melon, cut into 2 cm pieces, 225 g strawberries, hulled and halved 1 orange, peeled and cut

Method:
1. Grate the ginger and squeeze the juice through a sieve and into a cup. 2. Add the lemon juice, honey and black pepper (if using) and mix. 3. Combine the kiwis, melon, strawberries and orange together in a salad bowl. Pour over the juice mix & serve in margarita glasses.

Looking for a sweet way to say "I love you"? Try these delightful desserts.

Berry Cheesecake

Ingredients:
11/4 cup digestive biscuit crumbs, 4tbsp butter, melted,  2tbsp packed brown sugar, 3/4 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel, 1/8 tsp salt, 425gm Ricotta cheese, 500gm cream cheese, softened, 2tbsp cornflour, 11/4 cup granulated sugar, 5 eggs, 1 cup cream, 1tbsp vanilla essence, 1kg strawberries, hulled and cut in half 1tbsp orange-flavored liqueur

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175C. Grease a 9-inch springform pan; wrap outside of the pan with foil to prevent batter from leaking during baking. 2. In a food processor with knife blade attached, pulse crumbs, butter, brown sugar, 1/4 tsp orange peel, and salt until combined. Transfer to a prepared pan; firmly press onto bottom of the pan in an even layer. Wipe out the processor. 3. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Reset the oven control to 160oC. 4. In a food processor with knife blade attached, pulse Ricotta until smooth. Add cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Add cornstarch and 1 cup granulated sugar; blend until smooth. 5. In a bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and remaining 1/2 tsp orange peel until well-combined. 6. Whisk in ricotta mixture until smooth. Pour batter over crust. 7. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven; leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. 8. Remove from the oven. To help prevent cracking during cooling, run a thin knife between edge of the cheesecake and pan when you take it out of the oven. Cool cake in the pan for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate at least for 6 hours or overnight. 9. In a bowl, combine strawberries, liqueur and remaining granulated sugar. Let it stand for at least 1 hour. 10. Remove cake from pan. Garnish the top with strawberries; serve.