Absolutely yummy and decadent!

There are times when you want the kitchen all to yourself and then there are times when cooking should be shared.  Valentine's Day works perfectly for shared cooking.  We plan a simple menu; steak, roasted potatoes, salad, wine and add lobster tails if we can.  

This Valentine's we added a couple of upgrades courtesy of February's Canadian Living.  I made the brandy cream sauce that was included with their recipe for Filet Mignon as well as their recipe for Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges; which is just really tossing wedges of potatoes with olive oil and dried rosemary (I used fresh from my rosemary plant) and then roasting for 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven. 

 The brandy cream sauce is also very simple.  In a tbsp of olive oil saute 1 shallot ( I used a thin celery stalk because I couldn't find shallots) until softened.  Add 3 tbsp of brandy and stir cooking until it is reduced by half.  Add 3 tbsp of whipping cream and 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and any accumulated steak juices from the pan, cook, stirring until thickened which is about 30 seconds.  The sauce is rich, very tasty and was a good addition to the meal.  

However, the piece to resistance was the Mini Chocolate Pudding Cakes for Two 

The recipe is below.  We plan to make this again but will double the recipe for company.  Absolutely yummy and decadent!  Exactly what you want for a romantic dinner at home.

• Prep time10 minutes
• Total time35 minutes
• Portion size2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp (18 mL) granulated sugar
• 5 tsp (24 mL) cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking powder
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 4 tsp (18 mL) milk
• 2 tsp (10 mL) butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) hot water
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar

Preparation

In small bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, 2 tsp of the cocoa powder and the baking powder. (Make-ahead: Cover and store for up to 24 hours.) Stir egg yolk, milk, butter and vanilla into flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter among 2 lightly greased 6-oz (175 mL) ramekins.

In bowl, whisk together hot water, brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder. Pour over batter.

Bake on rimmed baking sheet in 350°F (180°C) oven until firm to the touch, about 18 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with ice cream or whipping cream.  (Grenache, caramel sauce or Dulce de Leche is a nice addition if you don't care about calories!)
I intend to double the recipe and make them for company on Saturday night. I even bought a new set of ramekins.
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