VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL RECIPES

VALENTINES DAY SPECIAL RECIPES BY SWAPNADEEP MUKHERJEE, EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE METROPOLITAN HOTEL & SPA

HEART CHOCO POPS

Ingredients                                     Quantity
Chocolate Cake premix                        1 kg
Ref. Oil                                                       50 ml
Water                                                        500ml
Vanilla essence                                       2-3 drop
Whipping Cream (Rich Bakery Cream) 300 ml
Dark chocolate                                       250 gm
White Chocolate                                     250 gm
Heart shaped chocolate candy          100 gm

Method:
First heat the oven at 325°F, and grease round shaped mould with butter paper
Take the cake mixture and add water, oil and mix. Pour the mixture in the pan
Now bake for nearly 30 – 35 minutes and check by inserting toothpick, if no liquid sticks then the cake is ready. Then remove the pan from the oven and keep them aside for 10 minutes and let them cool completely
Meanwhile, take white and dark chocolate and whip cream mix all together in the blender bowl, blend for 5-6 minutes, till it becomes light and fluffy
Using a knife remove the entire outer layer of the cake and crumble it into a large bowl. Try to get these crumbs to be as fine as possible
Now roll the cake crumbs into a ball and put wooden sticks like a lollypop. Dip one pop in melted white chocolate and one pop in dark chocolate and cover each with heart shaped chocolate candy
A delightful Heart Choco Pop is ready to be gifted and relished on this special day

STRAWBERRY HEART CAKE

Ingredients                                     Quantity
Chocolate Cake premix                        1 kg
Ref. Oil                                                       50 ml
Water                                                        500ml
Vanilla essence                                       2-3 drop
Whipping Cream (Rich Bakery Cream) 300 ml
Fresh strawberries                               250 gm
Strawberry food color

Method:
First heat the oven at 325°F, and grease 1 heart shaped mould with butter paper
Take the cake mixture and add water, oil and mix. Pour the mixture equally in 3 pans
Now bake for nearly 30 – 35 minutes or till the toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out clearly. Then remove the pans from the oven and keep them aside for 10 minutes and let them cool completely
Take the food blender and mix the fresh strawberries, whip cream and strawberry food color. Blend for 5-6 minutes, till it becomes light and fluffy
Cut the cakes equally into 3 layers. Take one cake layer and frost the top portion with cream. Put another layer on top and repeat. Make it three-layer cake. Make sure to frost the sides also
Decorate it with fresh strawberries and the heart shaped cake is ready

RAVIOLO AGLIO-E-OLIO

Ingredients ……………………..Quantity
Ravioli                                         1 packet
Olive oil                                       10 ml
Garlic, crushed                                       05 gm
Oregano                                      1/3 gm
Chili flakes                                  ¼ gm
Red Pepper                                 2
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese    10 gm
Grated Parmesan cheese       10 gm
Italian parsley                                      01 gm
Salt to test

Black Pepper as per taste

Method:
Get a packet of premade cheese filled ravioli from the market. (cheese filled, plain or any other style is optional and as per liking)
Boil salted water; add ravioli in the boiling water, stir occasionally until cooked (but crunchy to bite) for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a pasta bowl.
While the pasta is cooking, combine olive oil and garlic in a cold skillet.
Cook over medium heat to toast garlic slowly, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low when olive oil begins to bubble. Cook and stir until garlic is golden brown. Remove from heat.
Stir red pepper, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper into pasta. Pour hot olive oil and garlic, and sprinkle on Italian parsley and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; toss until combined.
Serve Ravioli Aglio e Olio topped with grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and enjoy!

PANCAKE LAVA OF LOVE

Ingredients                                     Quantity
All-purpose flour                                   100 gm
Baking powder                                       05 gm
White sugar                                             20 gm
Salt                                                             to taste
Milk                                                            70 ml
Butter, melted                                        5 ml
Egg                                                             01 no

Method
Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl, add milk, melted butter, and egg; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or pan over medium-high heat. Pour the batter on the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake; cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until brown on the other side.
Repeat with remaining batter and serve either hot or cold with chocolate or maple syrup.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Ingredients                                                                       Quantity
Flour                                                                                     3 cups
Baking powder                                                                      2 teaspoons
Salt                                                                                        1/4 teaspoon
Beaten eggs                                                                           2
Sugar                                                                                     2/3 cup
Melted white chocolate                                                          50gm
Melted butter                                                                         2 tablespoons
Milk                                                                                       1/2 cup
Vanilla                                                                                    1 teaspoon
Chocolate glaze                                                                       1 cup
Chopped nuts                                                                          1 cup

Method:
Preheat the fryer. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.
Add the melted chocolate and butter. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Slowly add the sifted flour into the egg mixture, for a soft dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 2 hours. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick.
Cut the doughnuts out, using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter.
Fry a couple of doughnuts at a time for 1 minute on each side.
Remove the doughnuts from the fryer and drain on a paper-lined plate.
Place the doughnuts on a wire rack. Drizzle the warm doughnuts with the white chocolate glaze and sprinkle with the nuts. Place the doughnuts on a platter.