Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. It’s the perfect reason to make everything heart-shaped and it doesn’t seem excessive. What can I say, I like hearts. After making my annual galette des rois in January, I asked myself, why is it only for New Year’s? I took the general galette concept of puff pastry with nut filling and came up with a Valentine’s Day version that has chocolate and toasted hazelnut cream filling.
I love to pair figs and cheese. Nothing beats that sweet and savory combination. I used mascarpone and a bit of cream cheese for the filling. I made one tart prior to this with goat cheese that my family deemed too strong. When they have specific criticism like that, I take it pretty seriously, considering 99% of the time, they’ve inhaled my desserts before they can properly assess for flavor, taste, texture, which I’m doing constantly throughout the baking process and after I’ve served it. I swapped for mascarpone and am very happy with the results.
If I am forever known as the crazy pink pearl apple girl, I’ll gladly accept it. On Instagram, I tried to give myself the title “unofficial pink pearl apple ambassador” so it sounds less obsessive but honestly, I am truly, madly, deeply in love with these fruits.
What’s my favorite chocolate chip cookie, you ask? It’s from Jacques Torres Chocolate in New York City. Ask for it warmed and it’s heavenly. Crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, and most importantly, with delicious melty puddles of chocolate. Sadly, I’m not in NYC often enough to get my fix, so, luckily, there is a recipe. To celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, I decided to test it out.
This tart is my ode to the Twix bar. It has always been my favorite because it reminds me more of a dessert than candy. I like the different textures. Creamy and crunchy. When I was a kid, I used to get the jumbo bar pack at Costco. I got to know my dentist very well.
