I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. In most of North America it’s a very commercial event focused on romantic love. It’s a day where you pay twice as much for roses than other days and it’s impossible to get a dinner reservation at a decent restaurant.

Most years on February 14th I am in Mexico, where they celebrate “dia del amor y la amistad”, the day of love and friendship. A much more inclusive recognition, that makes me very happy.

Last year, my sister and brother-in-law were on the island and bought me flowers.

Doug made dinner for Kath and I and it was a fabulous day. There are so many kinds of love, and I appreciate that in Mexico they value friendship as well as romantic love. 

Of course one of my love languages is food. And a favourite dessert of mine, and everyone I’ve made it for, is chocolate lava cake. I think it’s the epitome of love. 

Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

10 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened coco powder

Instructions

Place the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over a saucepan of hot water over low heat (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water).  Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts; remove from the heat.  

When the chocolate is smooth, stir in the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, flour, baking powder and cocoa.  Beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and has a thick, mousse-like consistency, about 5 minutes.

Fill six ramekins 1/2 full and cover each with plastic wrap.  Freeze for at least 3 hours.  NOTE: The ramekins can be filled and frozen up to 3 days in advance.

Just before serving time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place oven rack in the center of the oven.

Bake the frozen desserts until the outer edges of the tops are set, but the centers are still moist and shiny, usually 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven.

To serve, invert each hot portion onto a serving plate and serve warm. I like to serve with raspberry coulis and good quality vanilla ice cream. 

Raspberry coulis

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons water or orange juice

12 ounces frozen raspberries thawed

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)

Instructions 

Combine sugar and water (or orange juice) in a 1 cup (or larger) microwave-safe cup or bowl. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick.

Cook in the microwave on high power for two minutes. Stir for 5-10 seconds to ensure that the sugar crystals are dissolved.

Combine the raspberries and hot syrup in a blender container. Blend until the mixture is smooth and pureed.

Pour puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium-size bowl. Stir and push on the solids with the back of a rubber spatula until all of the liquid has been extracted. This will take several minutes as the mixture will be thick.

Discard the seeds. Add the liqueur, if using and stir to combine

Makes 6 servings

Kath’s quote: “More like a chocolate molten lava cake. A dessert so sinful, so luscious, so filled with inner heat it made a girl want to lick each and every crumb right off the plate.“-Julie James

Love never fails.

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