Here is a recipe for a chocolate cake that will be in Rockland magazine's next issue. It is expressly for Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Heart Cake to Adore for Valentine’s Day

Certain foods are thought to have aphrodisiac or love-inducing powers. Though there is no firm scientific evidence to affirm the claims, we do know the substances that have been identified to stimulate body and mind. Leading the list is the ‘nourishment of the gods’ …Chocolate…

Following is a recipe for a chocolate cake, adapted from one of my Italian teachers, that is guaranteed to produce a swoon:

Flourless Chocolate Heart Cake with Chocolate Mousse, Gold leaf and Berries
adapted from Stefano Innocenti, Acqua al Due, Florence, Italy

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
1/2-3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Valrhona or Droste)
1/4-1/2 cup whole milk
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter an 8-inch heart-shaped pan. Coat the pan with cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs into two bowls. To the bowl with the yolks add 1/2-3/4 cup sugar and beat well until it gets ribbon-y. Sift in the cocoa powder. Beat together until well blended. The mixture will be stiff. Add enough milk to get it smooth but not runny.
Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Take a small quantity and stir it in to the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the rest gently.
Pour into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently but firmly on the counter a couple of times to release the air bubbles.
Bake 20-30 minutes until the cake pulls away from the sides. The center will be firm but soft. Take out and cool. The cake will flatten a bit as it cools.
For two cakes, as required in the following recipe, double the ingredients.
You can stop here and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar or continue for a light but intense chocolate experience….

While the cakes are cooling prepare the Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

In a saucepan boil ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Remove from the stove and add the chocolate. Stir well to melt.
Whip the rest of the cream into soft peaks then fold it in to the chocolate mixture.
Use the mousse to put between the two stacked flourless chocolate heart cakes and on the top. Decorate with 24K edible gold and raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Place on a red heart-shaped doily and serve. Or call me and I’ll make it for you, plus the loving dinner that precedes it.

from Phyllis Segura, Cooking on the River, personal chef, Piermont, New York
info@cookingontheriver.com 845-365-0042