Desserts keep dietary limits in mind

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays – maybe for the wrong reasons.

There’s no long shopping list, no roasting a turkey or baking a ham, no worrying about how to keep food warm for a couple of hours.

My husband and I exchange Valentine’s Day cards and, rather than fight the crowds at a favorite restaurant, I make one of his favorite meals, usually something simple. For both him and me, I make a special chocolate dessert.

But, for some, diet restrictions make certain ingredients off-limits. Here are some recipes that might help.

Lactose-Free and Vegan Truffles

From “How to Make Chocolate Candies” by Bill Collins

1 pound dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

1/4 to 1/3 cup cocoa powder

Place the chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Bring coconut milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate and let it sit 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until chocolate has melted. Mix in cranberries.

Spread ganache into a shallow pan. Let it cool to room temperature, 45 to 60 minutes, until it has a firmer texture but can still be scooped up with a spoon. To speed up this process, place the pan in the refrigerator. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon by volume), shape cooled ganache into balls about the size of pingpong balls. Gently roll these in the palm of your hand to help them become smooth and round.

Prepare a small bowl of cocoa powder, and line a sheet pan with waxed paper. Roll each truffle in the cocoa until coated and transfer to the sheet pan to rest. Refrigerate. Before serving, let rest at room temperature 20 minutes to allow them to soften a bit.

Yield: 25 to 30

Chocolate-Cherry Torte

From “Williams-Sonoma Gluten-Free Baking,” by Kristine Kidd

1 cup (6 ounces) dried sour cherries

3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, cassis, rum or brandy

1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) slivered, blanched almonds, toasted (this can be done the night before)

2 tablespoons (2 ounces) granulated sugar

12 ounces bittersweet (60-percent) chocolate, chopped, or bittersweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

6 large eggs

1 cup (7 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Whipped cream

Combine cherries and vinegar and let soak 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the bottom and sides completely.

In a food processor pulse the almonds until finely chopped. Add the sugar and pulse until the almonds are finely ground (do not over process).

Place the chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl (or use a double boiler). Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Melt the chocolate while stirring often, until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and brown sugar until well blended. Gradually add the chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth. Stir in the ground almond mixture and salt, and then the cherry mixture. Scrape the batter in to the prepared pan and jiggle to even out the top of the filling.

Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan and add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Cover the cake with aluminum foil but do not fold down the edges.

Bake cake until set in the center and outer 1 inch is dry to the touch (the top will be shiny), about 1 hour 40 minutes. Carefully remove the cake pan from the roasting pan then the foil. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate the cake until chilled at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.

To serve, remove the side of the pan and transfer the cake to a platter. Dust the cake with cocoa powder. Cut the cake into thin wedges and dollop with fresh whipped cream. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves: 12

Frozen Chocolate Kahlua Mousse

From “400 Healthy Recipes,” by Good Housekeeping

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese

1/2 cup fat-free milk

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup Kahlua

3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

In a 1-quart saucepan, evenly sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand 2 minutes to soften gelatin slightly. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until gelatin has completely dissolved (do not boil). In a blender, combine gelatin mixture with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into dessert glasses and freeze at least 2 hours. Let sit at room temperature about 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 6

Chocolate Dump Cake

From “Best Dump Cakes Ever” by Monica Sweeney

5.9-ounce box instant chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cups milk

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Prepare the pudding with the milk according to the package directions. Mix in the dry cake mix and stir to combine. Spread the batter in the pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake 30 minutes or until the cake is set and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan. Cake can be refrigerated, but remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature about 10 minutes before slicing.