A Valentine’s Day Dessert (Video)

White Chocolate and Cherry Mousse Napoleon with Raspberry Coulis and Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

Valentine’s Day has a long and rich history.  The holiday began as the Feast of Saint Valentine in 496 A.D.  On February 14^th  of that year, Pope Gelasius I honored Saint Valentine by giving Bishop Felix III a giant teddy bear and a candy heart with the words “TXT ME.”

The Feast of Saint Valentine became associated with romantic love in the 14^th century with Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem, “Ode on a Last Minute Bouquet of Flowers Bought from a Convenience Store.”

Like Valentine’s Day, the Napoleon pastry has a storied history.

The multi-layered cake got its name in 1812 when Napoleon Bonaparte and 500,000 friends crashed Czar Alexander I’s annual costume party.  The party’s theme was “Underwater Paradise” but Napoleon arrived dressed as a koala.

Infuriated, the Czar shoved Napoleon’s face into a multi-layered Szegediner Torte. Consequently, an embarrassed Napoleon was forced to retreat.  To honor that fateful day, Russian chefs renamed the pastry as a “Napoleon.”

This dessert pays tribute to both Valentine’s Day and the Napoleon.  The Coconut-Caramel wafers form the base and provide a crunchy sweetness.  In addition, the White Chocolate and Cherry Mousses add a creamy element.  Finally, the Raspberry Coulis and Bittersweet Chocolate Sauces add slightly tart and bitter flavors that round out the dish.

As an added bonus, all of the components can be prepared in advance of a Valentine’s dinner and assembled in minutes.

Check out the video to see how this version of the Napoleon comes together.

Serves 4 but is ideal for 2.

Coconut-Caramel Wafer

• 4 ounces (113 grams) butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup toasted coconut
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Put the butter, sugar, coconut and salt in a small saucepan.  Bring the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until the butter has melted.

Remove the pot from the heat, add the flour and mix thoroughly.  Add the cream and mix well.  Refrigerate the batter for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

Scoop out ¼ teaspoon balls of the batter and place them on a nonstick sheet pan.  Give the wafers plenty of space because they will spread out as they bake.  Use your fingers or a spoon to smooth the balls into 1 inch (2.5cm) inch circles. 

Bake the wafers for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 1 minute before you move them.

The cookies are best the day they’re made but will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

White Chocolate Mousse

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4 tablespoons plus ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces (113 grams) white chocolate, chopped into small pieces.

Stir the gelatin into 2 tablespoons heavy cream and allow to bloom for 5 minutes. 

Place the white chocolate, the gelatin mixture and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in a double boiler.  (A bowl that fits snugly in a saucepot filled with water.  Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.)

Bring the water to a simmer and stir until the chocolate has melted and the gelatin has dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

Whip the ½ cup heavy cream to stiff peaks.  Stir a little whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture to loosen it slightly. 

Fold the remaining heavy cream into the chocolate, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

The mousse can be made up to three days in advance.

Cherry Mousse

• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• ½ cup cherry purée
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream

Stir the gelatin into 3 tablespoons cold water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes. 

Combine the cherry purée in a small saucepot over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Add the gelatin and stir to dissolve.

Place the cherry mixture in an ice bath, stirring to cool.  Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.  Stir a little whipped cream into the cherry mixture to loosen it slightly. 

Fold the remaining heavy cream into the cherry mixture, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

The mousse can be made up to three days in advance.

Raspberry Coulis

• 6 ounces (170 grams) raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Purée the raspberries and sugar a in blender until smooth.  Strain to remove the little seeds that nobody enjoys.

The coulis can be made a week in advance.

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

• 4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces.
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons corn syrup.

Put the chocolate in small bowl.  Place the cream and corn syrup in a small saucepot and bring to a simmer.  Pour the cream over the chocolate and wait a minute for the chocolate to melt.

Stir the chocolate and cream to combine. 

The sauce can be made a week in advance. 

Garnish

• Sliced cherries
• White chocolate shavings
• Tiny basil leaves

To complete

Place a small dollop of mousse in the center of a plate.  The mousse acts as a base and stabilizes the cookies.

Set a Coconut-Caramel wafer on the mousse dollop.  Center a quenelle (oval shape) or small scoop of White Chocolate Mousse on the cookie.

Place a second cookie on the mousse.  Center a quenelle of Cherry Mousse on this cookie and top with a third cookie.

Carefully place some cherry slices, white chocolate shavings and basil leaves on the cookie.

Spoon some Raspberry Coulis and Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce around the plate.

Serve immediately.

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