The 14th of February is literally  three weeks away… will ‘cupid’s’ arrow hit you :)… well wether it does or not, this is one of those desserts that are just so special and have a great balance between being decadent and refreshingly gorgeous.

I call it the ‘love’ desserts’ as I make it with love, using ingredients that I love so much. Raspberries are so refreshing and balance the rich decadent chocolate.

I don’t know about you, but for me a sweet dream is one of those when there are houses made of sweet treats and you can lie on a bed of chocolate chunks with marsh mallow pillows and oozing melting chocolate fountains draped as curtains :). Yup this one is for the Ladies.. and those Guys that do enjoy the finer things in life :).

Photography by: Farayi Kambarami

Food & Styling by: Thulisa Martins

Ingredients

For the Champagne Jelly

2 gelatine leaves

150ml hot water

25g castor sugar

250ml Champagne/ good quality sparkling wine, I like a pink sparkling wine as its got lovely colour

100g whole fresh raspberries

Method

– Place the water and sugar in a sauce pan and stir to dissolve the sugar.

– Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes on medium to high heat.

– In a separate bowl, pour the champagne/ sparkling wine and add the gelatine leaves, leave them until they are very soft (bout 5 minutes).

– Squeeze the liquid out the gelatine leaves.

– Add the gelatine leave in the sugar syrup and whisk very fast until they are dissolved.

– Combine this mixture with champagne/sparkling wine and half fill into heart shaped moulds.

– When the mixture has started to set slightly, carefully divide the raspberries equally into the moulds.

– Place the moulds in the refrigerator until completely set.

For the Chocolate Mallow 

150g Marshmallows, I like to use the smaller ones

50g butter

150g dark chocolate

100ml milk chocolate

60ml hot water

15ml vanilla extract

160ml fresh whipping cream

100ml mascarpone cheese

Method

– Put the marshmallows, butter, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and hot water in a sauce pan over low heat.

– Stir through until the mallows are melted and set aside to cool slightly.

– Whisk the fresh cream aside until soft peak, add mascarpone and vanilla extract and whisk for 5 minutes.

-Lightly mix the cream mixture into the marshmallow mix until combined.

– Carefully top this mixture on the set jelly moulds and put back in the refrigerator until set.

– De-mould the desserts and serve with melted white chocolate and milk chocolate.

Tip, Place a warm cloth over the base of the mould to assist with de-moulding.