P9: VALENTINE'S DAY CAKE
P10: LE GÂTEAU COEUR AU CHOCOLAT
P11: CHOCOLATE CAKE
P11: CHOCOLATE & CLEMENTINE FRIDGE CAKE
P12: CHOCOLATE CARAMEL FUDGE CAKE
P13: CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY BROWNIES
P13: FRUIT CORNERS WITH HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE NUT DIP
P14: CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES P15: CHOCOLATE FONDUE
P15: MEGA RICH ESPRESSO POTS
Valentine's Day cake
SERVES 10-12 F
or the stracciatella sponge cakes
220g (8oz) butter, softened
150g (5½oz) caster sugar
A pinch of salt
1tsp grated lemon zest
4 free-range eggs
280g (9¾oz) plain flour
3tsp baking powder
2tbsp cornflour
1tbsp rum
80ml (2¾fl oz) milk
75g (2¾oz) chocolate chips
For the filling
½ a vanilla pod
400ml (14fl oz) milk
3 free-range egg yolks
40g (1½oz) caster sugar
30g (1oz) cornflour
200g (7oz) butter, softened
100g (3½oz) icing sugar
100g (3½oz) dark chocolate
350g (12oz) cherry jam
To decorate
400g (14oz) white sugarpaste
100g (3½oz) coloured sugarpaste, in three shades of pink/red
Heart-shaped sweets on sticks
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line the bases of two 20cm (8in) springform cake tins with baking paper.
2 Beat the butter with the sugar, salt and lemon zest until pale and creamy. Whisk the eggs and add in batches, mixing well between each one. Mix the flour, baking powder and cornflour and sift over the cake mixture. Add the rum, milk and chocolate chips and mix until combined.
3 Divide the mixture between the two tins, spread level and bake for about 30 minutes until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove, allow to cool slightly in the tins, then turn out onto a wire rack lined with baking paper and allow to cool completely.
For the filling, halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Heat about two-thirds of the milk with the vanilla seeds and pod until just boiling. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar, cornflour
