Well, don’t I feel validated! The “Ask Lemmonex” idea was well received, and my adoring public, I thank you for humoring me. My friend B the other day said (with love, natch), “I kinda cannot believe people are asking you for advice. It is not like you are a professional or anything”. This is true, but I have had enough disasters to help you kids out; there are some lessons in life I can learn. So, without further ado…

The hot and sexy suicide_blonde asks:

what i reallly i wanna see/try are some fun “valentine” recipes… not so much cakes shaped like hearts..more like water for chocolate stuff… that a novice could manage…

I like where your head is at, dear. Heart shaped cakes and red roses are cliches that make me die a tiny thousand deaths.

A girl has to get every party started with a cocktail, and these champagne ginger cocktails look to die for. Did you know ginger is an aphrodisiac? So are chocolate and mint, and this frozen andes drink calls for both and has the added bonus of cooling things down if it gets too steamy, too fast. Looking to get a man with money all liquored up? Try this billionaire’s cocktail. Just make sure the sexy lingerie is already on before the drinking gets under way.

I have been way in to Culinate lately and these chocolate truffles look super delicious and easy to make. The recipe calls for use of a microwave; you cannot get much easier than that. How about chocolate pudding? Simple and delicious, this would be awesome topped with some homemade whipped cream. (To make whipped cream: 1 pint super cold whipping cream, 2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar, and some sort of flavoring. Whip like hell with a whisk. Vanilla or orange extract would be good with this, but I think a splash of raspberry liqueur would be the bees knees.) I also have had fondue on the brain lately; here is a basic recipe for chocolate-rum fondue that will bring all the boys to the yard. This dark chocolate and toffee macadamia bark looks great and something that a novice could handle easily.

Nothing says Valentine’s Day more than some time in bed, so how about having breakfast there? These lime-pineapple scones would be great with a tropical fruit salad and some mimosas. (If you don’t have a rolling pin, drop them by heaping tablespoons on to a sheet and keep an eye on them.) I have made this french toast casserole(with Bailey’s!) with lots of success. If you want to keep things a little spicier in bed (Oh…the puns!!) how about huevos rancheros?

And from the Culinary Couture archives, might I suggest these pear champagne cupcakes (easy and a non chocolate option!), strawberries in balsamic reduction (I think strawberries on Valentine’s Day are a rule), and this triple chocolate cheesecake (more intermediate level, but still…I know you can do it!)

Happy Valentine’s Day, kiddies. And if you are a hot, emotionally available (but not too available because that freaks me out), tall boy with a scar on his face and dark hair that doesn’t overly abuse alcohol and has a refined pallet and you are looking for love, call me!

Truth be told, I have always enjoyed cooking more than baking. There is something much more enjoyable to me about being able to make a meal while flying by the seat of your pants; a shake of this, a pinch of that and it all seems to come together. Most of my recipes have evolved so much, that my “directions” to friends can become maddening. My friend, Irish Lebowski, has called me on more than one occasion to inquire the exact measurement of a glug of olive oil or a “good amount” of oregano. Baking had always seemed too constrictive to me. A recipe must be followed to the tee or the cookies don’t rise or you end up with a dry cake. Rules are meant to be broken! I loathe that I cannot do it with a batch of brownies. It’s like the batter is oppressing me. Damn the man and damn the chemistry of baking.

In the past year or so, I have really come around on baking, though. This change of events occurred for one simple reason: I am, underneath it all, a people pleaser. Sweet treats just illicit a different response from people; they may like my chicken, but they love my desserts. Deep down inside, we are all kids, scheming to steal that next cookie out of the jar and work ourselves into a sugar coma. I cook for people for a bunch of reasons-to cheer them up, to show them I love them, to maybe impress them if they are cute-but I get a certain thrill out of the way people’s eyes light up if I have managed to pull off something special. Of course, when things don’t go so well, it is rough going but only Ryan Reynolds is perfect.

And, oh boy, did this triple chocolate cheesecake succeed in lighting some eyes. It was transcendent; chocolately without being too much, creamy, rich and smooth. I saw the lovely Nigella Lawson make this recently on her show and I knew I absolutely had to make it. I think she may be doing some Jedi mind tricks on me with her mellow voice and sensual handling of the food, but I don’t care. Her food delivers. Don’t be deterred by the length of the recipe; it has a lot of steps, but none of them are hard. I made this for a girl’s night this weekend and it was a hit and a half. You have not seen bliss until you have seen five women in a room, full of pizza and cheesecake.

A water bath is essential for this, but in an absolute pinch, a large pan full of hot water can probably be placed in the oven near the cake tin. The cake needs the humid air to prevent cracking. Even with the bath, my cake cracked due to being shifted somehow in the fridge while it set. This is why the ganache swirls on top are perfect; I just made one of the swirls go right over the crack and no one could tell. It’s like make up for your cake, hiding the flaws while making it look pretty. The graham cracker crust is really helped by the added cocoa, though the next time I make this (and you bet there will be a next time) I may use chocolate graham crackers. For the melted chocolate in the cake, I used 5 ounces semi sweet chips and one oz of bittersweet. It was perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Have I mentioned this desert is perfect? Perfect enough to make me follow the rules.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Source: Nigella Lawson

Cheesecake base:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon cocoa

Cheesecake filling:
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small
2 1/2 cups cream cheese
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder (or one tsp. cornstarch and one tsp sugar)
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Sauce:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dark corn syrup (ligh can be substituted)

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.

Put a kettle on to boil.

Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.
Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.

Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.

To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate.