In the food department, for Valentine’s Day, I think we women are not that hard to please. Whether it is about pastel colored cupcakes, frosted cakes, good quality chocolate or a great dinner we appreciate the gestures and thoughts behind them as much as we enjoy the food. But I cannot be sure if the prettiest of swirls of buttercream or rose/lavender flavored goodies would impress men in general. While I personally love those flavors and swirls make me as excited as a kid, I’ve reserved those for my girlfriends. Dark chocolate and citrus are flavors that in my humble opinion have an unanimous appeal.
My husband does not share my love for dessert except when there is dark chocolate in the recipe. More specifically, a not too sweet, small portioned dessert with dark chocolate as the hero. I made just that for him. A rich, creamy, bittersweet chocolate mousse that is infused with Kahlua (coffee liqueur). Making this is quite easy and since it can be made ahead, it is a great option for Valentine’s day. What you will taste is an intense mocha flavor with a depth from the alcohol. But I didn’t stop at that. I made a quick salted caramel sauce and drizzled that on top. The combination is amazing! The salted caramel was not required but I recommend it. The bittersweet, salty and creamy sensation together is unbeatable. Needless to say, this is not your everyday sweet fix. It is special and should tick the right boxes even for non-dessert lovers.
If you do not have Kahlua, you can still add a teaspoon of instant coffee to get the mocha flavor but I highly recommend the liqueur as it elevates the intensity of the dessert to a whole new level.
Chocolate Kahlua Mousse With Salted Caramel Sauce
Serves 4-5
4 Egg Yolks
¼ Cup Sugar
150 g Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
Cocoa Powder, to dust
Salted Caramel Sauce, to serve (recipe below)
50g butter
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
1 cup (250ml) cream
1 tsp sea salt
Heat the mixture under a medium-low flame, whisking constantly till the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and strain it onto the bowl of chocolate. Let the bowl stand undisturbed for 10 minutes.