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Recipes: Seasonal

The following recipes were contributed by Chef Carole Bloom, spokesperson for the Chocolate Manufacturers Association.

According to a new study by the National Confectioners Association, both men and women agree that the most romantic place to enjoy a Valentine’s Day treat is by the fire. The recipe below is easy to make, works well for dates or parties, and is sure to warm things up this Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook for Dummies by Carole Bloom
(Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2002)

Chocolate and fruit are the perfect combination and they’re showcased in this dessert. All you have to do is prepare the chocolate mixture and the fruit. Then your guests serve themselves.

Tools:
Double boiler
Fondue pot
6 forks

Preparation time:
15 minutes

Yield:
6 servings

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Cubes of pound cake or angle food cake
• Whole fresh strawberries
• Thick slices of banana
• Dried apricot halves

Directions:

1. In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and water. Stir over warm water until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Add the cream, orange liqueur or vanilla, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a fondue pan and keep it warm over a low flame. Arrange the cake and fruit on a serving platter.
3. Supply each guest with a fondue fork so they can spear the item of their choice and dip it in the fondue mixture.

Remember: Your fondue mixture must be kept warm so that it will stay liquid. The best way to do this is to use a fondue pot that has room for a candle or a liquid heat source underneath.