VALENTINE

Swiss style cakes with a chocolate cream top and a chocolate streusel bottom. To decorate, hold a sheet of paper or cardboard diagonally on a cut cake and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. In this way, you can have a diagonal black-and-white effect as in the top photo.

Austrian style moist chocolate cake, very rich and satisfying. Cover with foil and bake. You can serve them with whipped cream.

Belgian style chocolate cakes. Use strong coffee for the syrup, and choose small cups or molds for this recipe.

Swiss style chocolate cake. To pipe chocolate sauce onto the cakes, you can use chocolate decorating pens (see the “Ingredients” photo) to save time.

Swiss style moist two layer cakes with a chocolate chip layer, topped by a chocolate layer. Let the cakes stand overnight before serving.

French style truffle-like chocolate with sliced almonds. You can substitute the sliced almonds with chopped almonds or peanuts.

French style chocolate cake. “Tranche chocolat” means a “slice of chocolate cake” in French. Making the batter is easy --- all you need to do is simply add and mix the ingredients in order, using a spatula. It’s light and not too sweet.

Belgian style chocolate cake, very “chocolate” with chocolate and cocoa powder. Use whole eggs and beat them until creamy.

Swiss style crispy chocolate patties, a nutty version of “paletes au chocolat”. Milk or sweet chocolate is best suited for this recipe.

Austrian style chocolate cakes, rich and a little bitter with instant coffee mixed in the batter. To make these cakes, cream together butter and sugar. Heat eggs a little before mixing it into the batter, because the batter may not blend well if you use cold eggs.

French style square chocolate truffles with walnuts. “Pavé” means a “paving stone” in French. Cut the chocolate into squares resembling pavement stones, then dust with cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar.

Swiss style chocolate tarts. Make sure to chill the tart dough well, then roll out thin. Try using shallow, small molds as too much filling may make the tarts too heavy. You can garnish with mimosa leaves or dragees.

Chocolate cookie balls made with “hot cake” mix (pancake mix), almond powder and cocoa. This type of cookie is commonly made at home in European countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Shaping the cookies is like working with clay - enjoy!

Italian style classic torte with a very rich chocolate flavor. To make meringue, make sure to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. To make batter, mix alternately with the sifted dry ingredients and the meringue.

Swiss style chocolate cake. Traditionally, this cake is made with ganache cream or chocolate-flavored buttercream, however, whipped cream and shaved chocolate are used in this recipe. Rum is optional.

French style cake. This recipe doesn’t require separating the eggs. The key to making the batter is to keep all the ingredients at room temperature, in which the fat and moisture contents can be emulsified easily and thus the ingredients will be well combined. When baking, pour hot water into the baking tray as instructed.

French style piped chocolate cookies. If the dough is not soft enough to pipe, adjust the density by mixing in a beaten whole egg little by little.

Melt-in-your mouth “nama chocolate” makes a popular present for Valentine’s Day in Japan.

(Recipe by: PROFOODS)

British style chocolate cakes. Making the batter is simple. Beat eggs and sugar over low heat to keep the mixture lukewarm. Then mix in the other ingredients in order. Mix in melted butter at the end, and you are ready to bake.

Swiss style confectionery molded into a heart shape. To make the bottom layer, press streusel dough lightly onto the bottom of the mold with the palm of your hand, then bake. After cooling in the mold, pour in the chocolate batter and refrigerate until solid. When solid, remove from the mold and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

French style cookies. “Boulettes noires” means “black balls” in French. By being made without eggs, the dough can be crumbly.

French style cake. Separate the eggs, and make stiff meringue with the egg whites.