Valentine's Day Desserts with Chef Johnny Iuzzini | Macy's Culinary Council

Gentlemen, listen up: Impressing your lady this Valentine's Day isn't as difficult as you think.

Sure, you can go the safe route, make dinner reservations and show up with a bouquet of roses. {::yawn::} Oh, excuse me. I fell asleep for a second.

OR... you can get your gal to brag on you to all of her girlfriends by sweetening up the evening with HOMEMADE DESSERT. {Yes please!}

Before you get all frazzled about the prospect of stepping foot in the kitchen and wielding your spatula, I've got good news for you. There's an expert who wants to show you how to wow your woman and he's coming to town to share his arsenal of sugary secrets. Who better to learn from than a master chef with award winning dishes??

Macy's Culinary Council Chef Johnny Iuzzini will be at Macy's Aventura on Saturday, January 31 at 1pm and he'll be demonstrating how to make some dazzling Valentine's Day desserts that you can recreate at home!

Chef Johnny was given the title of "Pastry Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, and it's easy to see why when you flip through his cookbooks, Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from A Four Star Pastry Chef (2008) and his more recent work, Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking.

Whether you're looking to schmooze your sweetie or just want to learn a little from a master chef, this event is for you! I'll be attending and I can't wait to try out some of Chef Johnny's decadent creations.

While I wait {im}patiently, I'm trying my hand at one of his recipes and sharing it with you today!

These Balsamic Cherry Crisps are such a fantastic treat for two {or more!}. Sweet and tart cherries get a kick from rich balsamic vinegar. For a little texture, a combination of oats and almonds {and a surprise cameo from chili powder} creates a crunchy crumble topping that works perfectly with the tender cherry filling.

Hope to see you at Macy's for this sweet celebration of Valentine's desserts!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation for this post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Balsamic Cherry Crisp
Adapted from Reader's Digest

Crisp Topping:
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup rolled oats
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cherry Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups frozen cherries, thawed and drained
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

For Crisp:

1. Combine almonds, oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, chili powder and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely ground.

2. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in melted butter. The mixture should resemble wet sand and form small clumps. Set aside.

For Filling:

1. In saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil together. Add thawed cherries and powdered sugar and allow to come to a bubble. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has slightly thickened.

2. Remove from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract. Cool slightly, and then add slurry of cornstarch and water. Stir until well incorporated.

For assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Divide cherry mixture among 4 ramekins. Divide crisp topping evenly among ramekins.

2. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the tops are just starting to become golden and the filling is bubbly.

3. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve warm. {With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is even better!}

Chocolate + Rum Pots de Creme

Disclosure: The rum used in this recipe was provided by my friends at The Baddish Group. I was not compensated for this post, but I did get a delicious bottle of rum. So there's that. As always, the opinions here are all my own. 

Guys: Put down the roses and the cheesy box of chocolates.

I have a recipe that you can make for your lady that will earn you MAJOR brownie points. And perhaps other things, too. But I don't want to get too brazen with my promises.

I'm sorry to be a party pooper, but I have never been a Valentiney kinda girl. It's kind of weird because in many ways I'm very girly and frilly. But there are certain things that just have never appealed to me despite my feminine nature: Ponies. {Well, maybe for a short stint in the mid-80s.} Hearts. Most sparkly jewelry {there are some exceptions}. The Bachelor.

No, thanks. A bouquet of basil does more for me than a bouquet of long-stemmed roses. BUT...

These.

Oh, hi.

My love for deep, rich, silky chocolate is pretty typical, I suppose. These, however, are anything but typical.

Luxurious chocolate mingles with incredibly smooth Dipolmatico Reserva rum to produce the most velvety deliciousness one could dream up. The hint of coffee really bumps up the intensity and rounds out the trio of flavors in a heavenly way.

Can you imagine the look on your lady's face when you surprise her with a homemade chocolate dessert. And one that is boozy, to boot?

Ecstasy.

I've given you all the tools, gentlemen... but now, you must get into the kitchen and make the magic happen. Trust me, good things are sure to follow.

*The important parts of this recipe are in normal text. The italics are just notes from me to you.
Chocolate + Rum Pots de Creme
Adapted from Food Network

4 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate {I used Ghirardelli}, broken into pieces or chopped
3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk {I used 2%}
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso*
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum like Diplomatico Reserva

For Whipped Cream {Optional}
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Whisk heavy cream with powdered sugar until peaks form. Serve pots de creme with a dollop if desired.

1. Combine the cream, milk, coffee, egg yolks, sugar and salt into the blender and blend until smooth. {Yes, the first step is really this easy.} Rinse out the blender and toss your chocolate in there. Set aside.

2. Pour the mixture into a pot and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. {The point of this is to cook the egg to a safe temperature... but don't let the mixture come to a boil or you will end up with scrambled eggs. And that's not sexy. Except maybe for breakfast. With cheese. But I digress.} When it's properly thickened, it should coat the back of a spoon and be thick enough to leave a line when you run your finger down the middle of the spoon.

3. Using a mesh strainer, strain the very hot mixture into the blender {carefully} over the chocolate. {You're straining it just in case little bits of egg did scramble. Even if it did, the mixture is probably still ok, but it's best to keep it out of your dessert so you achieve a smooth, silky texture.} Add your 2 tablespoons of rum. {Try not to take a cocktail break. It's really yummy.} Whiz everything together for about a minute until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is really smooth. {Like you are, stud muffin.}

4. Carefully pour the mixture into serving dishes {It makes about 4 servings}. You can use little ramekins, wine or martini glasses, teacups... whatever you'd like. This stuff is rich, though, so try not to make the servings too big. And don't try to get romantical and make a big one for you to share because I promise she'll try to be lady-like and split it with you but she's going to want to eat the whole thing after she tastes it.

5. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until set, about 2-3 hours. If you'd like, top with whipped cream and garnish with something pretty. Like a diamond ring, a raspberry or chocolate shavings. Or don't. It's seriously good however you serve it.

That's it. No, really. It's that easy. If you can warm liquid on a stove, you can make this. And it is INCREDIBLE. Just don't tell her how easy it was. Pretend you're just really talented, then marry her before she knows the truth. ;)

*If your gal isn't a rum girl, dump her I'm fairly certain this would taste just as good with any other type of liquor/liqueur. Or leave it out altogether if you must.