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If you haven't settled on your Valentine's Day menu—or you're lounging at home solo and crave a decadent treat (that counts as self-care, right?)—the Barefoot Contessa's got your back. In her latest "Ask Ina" column on Substack, Ina Garten shared the two desserts she'd recommend for anyone who wants something special...but doesn't necessarily want to spend all day Saturday baking.
"This is the time for Chocolate Ganache Cake or Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberry Sauce," she shares.
Both look and taste impressive, but they aren't so challenging to make. For beginners, she recommends the Panna Cotta, which is slightly less involved. Yes, you'll need to work with gelatin packets, but that's as simple as sprinkling the powder into a bowl of cold water, letting it dissolve and thicken, then adding it to a warmed mixture of hot cream, yogurt, vanilla and sugar, then stirring in two tablespoons of Grand Marnier liqueur. Before serving, you'll top it with raspberry sauce.
"The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, and the panna cotta needs to be prepared the day before, so it has time to set overnight," Garten says. Better order your groceries now so you can prep the dessert on Friday.
If you're up for more of a challenge, Garten describes her chocolate ganache cake as more of an intermediate-level dessert. But it only calls for nine ingredients (ten, if you're feeling posh and want to include edible gold flakes, which Ina deems optional).
"You can make the chocolate cake a couple of days in advance, cool it, wrap it well in plastic wrap and refrigerate," Garten says. "Chocolate ganache is just chocolate and heavy cream heated together over a double boiler."
I've been making Garten's ganache since 2016, and while using a double boiler—aka putting a heat-proof bowl atop a saucepan with a little water in it, letting the steam gradually melt the chocolate—may seem intimidating, it's pretty easy to get the hang of. And the results are worth it. The gradual melting keeps the chocolate from seizing and turning gritty, so it's luscious, glossy and easy to pour.
"Be careful that you take it off the heat as soon as the chocolate is melted, or it will taste burnt," Garten advises. "You can make the ganache right after dinner and simply pour it on. It’s actually easier to ganache a cold cake; just don’t refrigerate it after the cake is ganached."
However, if you want more of a frosting-like consistency, you can also let the ganache cool a bit and whip it with a stand mixer to thicken it up. It's equally delicious, becoming lighter in color and more mousse-like in texture.
As for the finishing touch to really take the cake over the top? "I like to serve a slice on a plate with crème anglaise, but here’s my trick: Vanilla ice cream is essentially crème anglaise that's been frozen, so I defrost a pint of Häagen-Dazs to make the rich vanilla sauce," Garten reveals.
Mrs. Store-Bought-Is-Fine does it again.
