Valentine's Day Feast: Desserts

Red Wine Poached Pears with Chocolate-Raspberry Sauce

Almond-Raspberry Bavarian Cream Cake
Adapted from www.mytartelette.com


1 1 /2 cups almonds
1 cup powdered sugar, unsifted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons amaretto

2 tablespoons powdered gelatin sprinkled over 1/4 c water
4 cups frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar

8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered gelatin, sprinkled over 1/4 cup water
2 cups heavy cream


Preheat the oven to 350. In a food processor, pulse the almonds and the powdered sugar together until finely ground. Sift the flour over the mix. Beat the eggs whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar while whipping the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in the almond-flour mixture. Halfway through the process, add the amaretto and continue to fold until smooth. Line two spring-form pans with parchment paper, coast slightly with cooking spray, divide the batter among both pans and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Let cool. Inver the pans onto a cutting board and slowly peel off the parchment paper. Cut each cake in half to make 4 layers.

Line two quarter sheet pans with parchment paper. In a large saucepan set over medium low heat, bring the raspberrries and sugar to a simmer and cook until the berries are reduced to a puree (smash them down with a spoon if necessary) and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin, stirring until it completely dissoved in the raspberries. Pour over the prepared sheet pans. Let cool to room temperature and then freeze until firm.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until very pale. In the meantime, in a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the milk and the vanilla to a boil. Slowly pour the milk over the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the back of a spoon. Add the softened gelatin and stir until melted completely into the cream. Let cool to room temperature. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and fold it into the cooled cream base. Use immediately.

Line your spring-form pan with parchment. Place one cake layer in the bottom, then cut out a piece of raspberry filling to the size of the pan and add it, then cover with bavarian cream. Repeat (doesn't matter which you end on). Refrigerate the cake for several hours, until firm.