Chocolate Mousse…

So if your plans have fallen through or you have forgotten today is St Valentine’s, it is not too late to make something special for your sweetheart. How about superb chocolate mousse, for that someone special?

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, separated

3 3-ounce bars of Lindt extra bittersweet chocolate with vanilla, or any good quality bittersweet chocolate

5 Tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a heavy pan

Add water and stir constantly with a wooden spoon over very low heat until the chocolate melts

 Remove pan from heat and carefully stir egg yolks into the chocolate with spoon

Chocolate mixture should be warm, not hot, or eggs will curdle

Beat egg whites until very stiff

Carefully add egg-white mixture to chocolate, taking care to fold the eggs into the chocolate with a spoon or whisk

Pour into a large glass bowl or eight small dessert bowls.

Refrigerate for six hours before serving

Chocolate Panini…

Valentine ’s Day is tomorrow. Here is a little something sweet you can serve your loved ones.

 I made this for the kids as a snack, and they gobbled it up. Tyler sprinkled powdered sugar on top of his. This turned it from nice sweet treat to a special “finished” dessert.  

Either way you chose, just remember there are 364 other days of the year to profess your love!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

8 pieces of thinly sliced white sandwich bread

1/2 cup Nutella

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:

 Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Lay slices on a piece of waxed paper, butter side down. Spread 1 heaping tablespoonful of Nutella over four slices. Sprinkle chocolate over, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Cover with remaining bread, butter side up.

 Warm a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place panini on griddle and cook, pressing down with a spatula, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side until golden, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly and use a sharp cutter to form heart shapes, or cut diagonally into triangles. Repeat with remaining panini.