Master Class: Chef Kunal Kapur's recipes for Valentine's Day

Give the candlelight dinner a pass. Toss up these two dishes only for her says Chef Kunal Kapur

Rather than visiting that overpriced restaurant a pass, have you ever considered preparing a special meal for her yourself?

But before you roll up your sleeves and head to the market, here's what you must know:

• Avoid fizzy drinks.
• Instead go for a nice warm red or a rose wine. It always stirs up the best of emotions.
• Whiskies and colas are a complete no-no.
• If you don't prefer alcohol then go straight for a nice iced tea or a fruit juice.
• Stay away from fried and heavy food.
• Experiment with flavours like vanilla, citrus and mushrooms.
• Garlic is my favourite ingredient. I add to almost anything… but not on Valentine's Day.
• In fact avoid any strong-smelling food whose taste will linger on for a long time.
• Most of all, know what foods you and your partner are allergic to before you start cooking.

Now, on to the recipes!

We start out with chocolate fondue with fresh fruits, dense walnut cake and peanut cookies

Molten chocolate with cream and butter is an excellent all-time indulgence in Romance with Food.

Fresh citrus fruits, dense nutty pound cakes, dry fruits, cookies almost anything dipped in warm chocolate will make you fall in love again.

Share it with your Valentine.

Serves: 2 cups

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 10 min

Ingredients

for warm chocolate sauce

• 125gm cream
• 125gm chocolate dark
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

for dipping

• 6 peanut cookies
• 6 slices of dry fruit cake
• 1 cup fresh fruits (diced)

Method

• Break the chocolate in a bowl and keep in a warm place to soften up. Heat cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Add vanilla extract.
• Allow to rest for 2-3 mins and then whisk it slowly. Place the warm chocolate in the centre and place cookies, fruit cake and fresh fruits on the sides.
• Using a fork or a satay stick, dip the goodies in warm chocolate and savour.

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Flourless muffins with Vodka drunken strawberries

Ingredients:

• 100 gm dark chocolate
• 200 gm white butter
• 1 tsp coffee powder
• 10 eggs (separated)
• 100 gm sugar
• 200 gm Nutella

for the garnish

• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 10 strawberries
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 60ml vodka

Miscellaneous

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

• Cut the strawberries in quarters and soak them in vodka. Keep aside.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a mixing bowl and place over a double boiler to melt.
• When chocolate and butter are properly combined, mix in coffee powder and remove from double boiler.
• Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar till creamy and triple in volume. Keep aside.
• Mix the Nutella into the chocolate mixture while it is still warm. Also fold in the creamed egg yolks.
• Stiffly beat the egg whites and fold into the nutella batter.
• Grease and line one muffin tray with butter paper. Fill the muffin moulds 3/4 with batter. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or till a knife inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove, cool and demould.
• To serve, arrange the muffins on a serving plate, garnish with strawberries and dollops of whipped cream. Sprinkle the remaining vodka on the muffins, dust with icing sugar.
• This quick muffin recipe is good on taste and light on the tummy and has the goodness of strawberries, hazelnut and chocolate. Bon appetit.