Make your valentine one of these special – and easy to prepare – desserts, and they’ll clamor for amour.
ICED STRAWBERRY HEARTS
Serves 6
The combination of strawberries and cream is a guaranteed favorite with everyone. Show them how much you care with this heart-healthy version.
4 cups fresh strawberries
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 1/4 cups low-fat vanilla-flavored yogurt
6 heart-shaped molds (ideally silicone)
Wash, hull and roughly chop the strawberries. Place them with the sugar in a food processor or blender and whiz until smooth.
Fill the heart molds halfway up with strawberry puree and freeze for several hours or until set.
Top with the vanilla yogurt and freeze until completely frozen.
Dip the molds in hot water for a few seconds, carefully unmold the hearts and serve immediately.
MIXED BERRY ICED SOUFFLES
Serves 6
This is a dramatic and elegant frozen dessert that can be made well in advance, so it’s perfect for entertaining.
3 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, strawberries and blackberries
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups fromage frais or thick plain yogurt
6 ramekins or short dixie cups
Make six strips of double-thickness waxed or parchment paper to form collars around the outsides of the ramekins, each coming 1/4 inches above the rim. Wrap and secure each collar with a pin or tape and chill the ramekins until ready to use.
Set aside 12 berries to decorate the souffles.
Puree the remaining berries in a food processor or blender and then press through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Stir in the superfine sugar and set aside for at least 1 hour to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to develop.
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to whisk until glossy and firm. Beat the fromage frais lightly just to loosen it. If you are using yogurt, there is no need to beat it.
With a large spoon or spatula, gently fold the berry puree, egg whites and from-age frais together. Spoon into the prepared ramekins, smooth the tops and cover with foil, taking care that the foil does not touch the tops of the souffles. Freeze until firm.
Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving and remove the foil and collars.
Place in the fridge to soften for about 5 minutes and then decorate with the reserved berries to serve.
MERINGUES WITH ROSEWATER CREAM
Serves 6
hese light-as-air meringues are particularly good served with fresh pomegranate seeds, but work equally well with other fruits such as cherries, nectarines or peaches.
3 egg whites
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon clear honey
1 tablespoon rosewater
Pomegranate seeds to serve (optional)
Baking sheet lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 325.
Put the egg whites in a grease-free bowl and whisk until they start to peak. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture becomes very thick and glossy. Gently fold in the ground cardamom.
Drop 12 spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a gap between each mound. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, transfer the meringues to a wire rack and let cool
Put the cream, honey and rosewater into a bowl and whip until the mixture just holds its shape. Put a couple of spoonfuls of the whipped cream into each of six serving bowls, add two meringues to each and top with the pomegranate seeds, if using.
RECIPES ADAPTED FROM “EASY DESSERTS,” RYLAND, PETERS & SMALL, $19.95, 2009
