(WTNH) – If you are looking for a last-minute Valentine’s Day Dessert, there is still time. Lifestyle expert Caryn Antonini shares the recipe for a simple chocolate cake and a classic créme anglaise to go along with it. 

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

This simple cake is lightly dusted with powdered sugar and can be served with berries, crème anglaise, or raspberry coulis. It is light enough for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup superfine sugar
  • ¾ cup flour, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double broiler. Once melted, stir to combine, and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light. At a low speed, blend in the sifted flour and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, blending until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before serving.

CLASSIC CRÈME ANGLAISE

This classic French sauce is a very versatile light custard that can be served with fruit, cakes, tarts, souffles and cobblers.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean, split (1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs yolks

Fill a large bowl or pan with ice cold water. Set a medium sized bowl within the ice water bowl. Attach a fine strainer to the medium bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream over a low medium heat until bubbles start to form around the sides of the pan – about 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Slowly add about half of the warm cream mixture into the yolks stirring to combine. Return this mixture to the rest of the cream in the saucepan, cooking over a low medium heat. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the sauce and stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. The sauce will coat the back of the spoon when ready.

Immediately strain the sauce into the medium bowl in the ice water bath to stop the cooking.

Allow to cool. Chill and serve.

Enjoy!

Tip:

Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce. The sauce will let you know when it is ready as it will coat the back of the spoon

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