Now that January is over and we’ve all been good and stuck to our resolutions to eat healthier (what do you mean you haven’t??) it’s time to start thinking about treats for Valentine’s Day.
And speaking of resolutions it’s high time I stuck to mine and updated my blog.
I’ve been doing some research on aphrodisiacs in advance of my Valentine’s cooking and I’m now a font of trivia!
Did you know that basil was used for seduction by women in Moldova? Or that Catholic priests in Spain banned avocados because they found them obscenely sexual?
In 19th-century France, grooms were given three servings of asparagus to see them through the wedding night -no pills needed back then !
Chillies stimulate endorphins and could be paired with garlic, another reputed aphrodisiac in your Valentine’s main course.
Other reputed aphrodisiacs are honey, almonds and chocolate – so what better way to celebrate St Valentine’s Day than to present the object of your affections with a combination of all three as the perfect end to your romantic dinner?
This dessert is based on a recipe I came across a few years ago. I’ve made a few alterations and I hope you like it…… it’s an annual favourite here.
The tart looks best made in a heart shaped tin but if you can’t find one a 20 cm loose bottomed tart tin will suffice. You can also make them into individual tarts if you have the smaller tins – it will be like offering your heart on a plate!
If you’d like to make a gluten free version, leave out the biscuit base and spoon filling into a mini heart shaped dish and leave to set.
Hey Pesto!’s ‘Happily Ever After’ Tart
What you need:
- 180g dark chocolate digestives
- 60g butter, melted
- 2 tbsp. flaked almonds
- 200ml Glenisk cream
- 3 tbsp. Honey (local is best – I use John Somerville’s Tullamore Honey)
- 300g Butlers dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
- Generous splash of Cointreau!
What you do:
- Crush the biscuits finely – easiest way to do this is put them in a plastic bag and bash with a Rolling pin. Stir in the melted butter to the crushed biscuits and then press into the bottom of your tin.
- Toast the almonds in a dry pan. Watch these carefully and don’t walk away or they will burn. This I know from experience!
- Whisk the cream and honey together in a small saucepan over a low heat and then slowly bring the mix to just below the boil.
- Pour the mix over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts.
- Stir in the toasted almonds and the Cointreau.
- Pour the mix into the lined tin and leave to chill for a few hours until set (overnight is best)
- Decorate to your heart’s content with almonds, hearts and rose petals!
Serve it to the object of your affections with lots of softly whipped cream – he or she will be putty in your hands.
Mind you I believe due to a certain rugby match next Saturday the CT wants to defer Valentine’s Day to later in the week. The flowers better be good…..
Happy Cooking!
If you’d like to come along to one of my cookery classes then please click here for details.
Hey Pesto! 