Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and nothing says ‘I love you’ and ‘I want to get you tipsy so I can seduce you’ like a bottle of red wine and a box of chocolate! The hardest part of this oh-so-obvious gift is choosing the right wine- How do you find the perfect red in a saturated sea of choices?

If a wine could ever ask to be your Valentine, Apothic Red would be the one to do it.  Apothic Red is a medium bodied, fruity wine tasting of ripe red fruits and vanilla. It’s perfect for your entire Valentine’s Day celebration from appetizers to dessert and everything in between. Come to think of it, you may need two bottles!

Since Apothic Red’s California blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon is the finest accompaniment to delicious dark chocolate flavours, why not indulge and treat yourself to the ultimate threesome this Valentine’s day: Apothic Red + dark chocolate + raspberries! In fact, I hear that Apothic Red is giving you a bar of chocolate with every bottle purchased from now until March 1st. It’s a sign!

You can’t go wrong with this luscious combination of tantalizing flavours and here are a few recipes to get you started:

Individual Soft Center Cakes

Yield: 4 servings

•  1⁄4 cup 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips
•  8 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter (1 stick)
•  2 whole eggs
•  2 egg yolks
•  1/3 cup(s) sugar
•  1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

 1 tablespoon(s) cake flour

Directions:

Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler. Whip eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer for about 10 minutes on high speed. Fold melted chocolate and butter into the egg mixture. Fold in flour just until combined. Butter and sugar four 6-ounce ramekins, then spoon mixture into ramekins. Bake at 450°F for about 9––10 minutes. The center will be quite soft, but the top and sides will be set. Let sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes, then unmold onto a plate. Serve with a few raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Products used in this recipe:

60% Cacao Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets

Yield: 6 servings

•  2 cups + 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
•  6 tablespoon(s) Sunrise Unsweetened Cocoa
•  12 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
•  6 tablespoon(s) sugar
•  1 1/2 cup(s) cake flour
•  1 cup(s) heavy cream
•  3 cup(s) fresh raspberries
• 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

In bowl of food processor, process butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add cocoa; process until smooth. Add flour; pulse until crumbly. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces, flatten each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 piece of dough at a time from refrigerator; roll out into 6-inch circle between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. If dough gets too soft, refrigerate until firm before continuing. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap; invert dough circle over a 4 1/2-inch nonstick tartlet pan with removable bottom. Keeping plastic wrap on top side, press dough into bottom and sides of pan. Trim excess dough; carefully peel off plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough to make 6 tartlet shells. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375oF. Prick bottom of tartlet shells all over with fork. Bake about 15 minutes or until dough looks dry. Cool completely in pans.

In saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to simmer. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Let sit until chocolate melts; whisk gently to combine. Cool to room temperature; pour 1/3 cup chocolate mixture into each tartlet shell. Refrigerate tartlets at least 1 hour or until filling is firm. Carefully remove tartlets from pans. Arrange raspberries decoratively on top of filling.

Tips: (1) Recipe also makes 1 large tart; use an 8-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom. (2) To make smaller tartlets, press dough into muffin tin compartments lined with paper or foil muffin cups. Remove muffin cups after filling and chilling tartlets. (3) Instead of rolling, press dough into tartlet shells with fingertips; chill and bake as above.

Products used in this recipe:

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Sunrise Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

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