Online Cooking School Forum

Bianca F. answered on 02 Feb 2015

Comfort food like heart shaped flapjacks with delicious toppings, heart shaped chocolate cupcakes and hot chocolate with kisses and heart details sprinkled on the whipped cream. Everything made from scratch so that the person knows it's made just for them. And so that they know you made the effort just for them.

boeuf bourguignon. And watch Julie and Julia with a bottle of wine.

For those with no time on their hands though, Bruschetta and chocolate cream pie!

And of course with those who have that awesome pizza kit from Yuppiechef, then obviously pizza would be the best =D

Well Yuppiechef actually has enough recipe inspiration on its site as a decent start - just look around. Locally Nomu's company site has too. Adapt the theme to your desired subject/beloved's tastes. For most people that would be starting with dessert - anything decadent - read: chocolate - the expensive kind! - try mousse, brownies, truffles. Liquid centred puddings/cakes are frequently gold - fondants, lava cakes, kladdkaka, etc. Also soufflés. A pristine (aka non-fissured) Baked cheesecake or Crème brûlée or Crème caramel given the right audience scores major points. As could almost anything with choux - try Eclairs. A mini Croquembouche might be a tad ambitious but if you're willing to practice in advance – then go add a spun sugar web for extra credit. Italian or French macarons too. If you really want to do silly effort have a go at replicating Ansel's cronuts. For saner / non-professional chef aspirants, you probably won't go off track with chocolate or salted caramel - Dulce de leche (the homemade kind gets the points) + whipped cream anything, tiramisu, banoffee or for the local is lekker - peppermint crisp or amarula cream pie. For the more nutritionally concerned, roasted stone fruit/pears/quinces with some or other sauce even if just vanilla mascarpone or cream or with a splash of balsamic (in place of roasting, poaching same in wine/sherry holds distinct promise) is quick/simple and popular. For me you'd have to include berries - the fresher and more luscious the better - otherwise homemade sorbet or ice cream. Crème anglaise-style Bavarian cream, tarte au citron, nectarine frangipane tart (or giving away my heritage) freshly-made Rote grütze would also likely corrupt me. For the paleo/ketonic/banting crowd you could look into gluten free crepes/blinis/pancakes e.g. with buckwheat/almond flour and some low carb topping (e.g. a light fruit compote, something syrupy made with whatever sweet is allowed maybe a stevia enhanced nut butter (or agave syrup / honey if you want to cheat just a bit) or something creamy, possibly whipped coconut cream. Elana's Pantry website always has good ideas. The vegans / raw foodies could consider something with raw chocolate or fruit and chia / or avocado mouse / banana ice cream (sans the dairy of course)

Given all that who still needs savoury anything? If gallivanting, homemade goodies - preserves, terrines, cheeses, etc. with (took 3 days to make) wild-yeast sourdough ciabatta or similar in an al fresco picnic incorporating any awesome vibe/breath-taking scenery/great live music all provide the ambience to offset your scintillating lack of conversation. For the non-OCD's any type of delicious finger / snack food is certainly a consideration and tidying up can lead to (un)intended/salacious consequences. This includes many recipes where you get your phalanges involved such as Moules à la Marinière. Spaghetti Bolognese doesnt qualify unless you also made your own sauce and the pasta. I'll leave it to you to work out what may transpire if you "encourage" the other party in demurely getting their hands clean ... and no the correct answer is not to avail the serviettes. The fishy mob could appreciate classic Marseilles Bouillabaisse with copious premium ingredients – crayfish/lobster et al. For some, homemade sushi scores, as does sesame encrusted seared tuna. Carnivores usually always appreciate fillet steak (try ostrich if more traditional red meat isn’t your thing) with suitable toppings - Madagascar green peppercorn / capers (or maybe better pink if its in lurve) is one idea. For the simpler tastes the 2015 YC idea of homemade pizza - shared prep with genuine ingredients - is one I havent tried but is on the to-do list. Its not exotic, but the (shared) effort in creation has potential for rewards. Talking exotic, unusual preparation vessels aid the first impression endeavor - say Moroccan lamb shank tagine (or as dessert say quince tarte Tatin where you score an exotic on both the baking dish and an ingredient) but even what some may consider everyday food - if all the components and sauces are slaved over - e.g. gourmet burgers made from scratch might crack the nod.

As beverage, any premium alcoholic item should qualify - not sure if the output of your domestic pot still would, but depends on your victim, err audience. Craft beverages typically get more credit than stuff from your local offsales. For the teetotallers try making homemade fruit lemonades / cocktails.

Generally if it comes across during a romantic sortie as if you made the effort in manufacture (and obviously also pulled off the plating and the epicurean tests) you should pass. If in doubt rather choose something simpler which you can actually make than vice versa and then scrape the proverbial albumen off your nose all night. Also deliver on schedule, midnight feasts only work in the movies, you lose badly if advertised kitchen-to-table delivery ETA was 7 pm.

All that off the top of my head, scary! What can I say, my single life had some practice (in the kitchen at least), but that never discouraged me from endeavouring with romance ;-)

That info overload should do as a warm up selection of ideas ... Have fun and good luck :-)

thanks for converting the recipe for the sponge cake
but could u please convert the rest of the other recipes please.

Oysters in bloody Marie served as a shooter to start. A pickle, cold meat – we are talking real cold meats here Mortadelle, Coppa, Pancetta, Prosciutte – and cheese (again let’s not go for the cheddar) platter. All the better to feed you with. Dessert – scoop of vanilla ice-cream topped with hot espresso - what more could you possibly need, you don’t want to get too heavy with food, but you do want to be totally satisfied.

magic mushroom soup

Bavisha G. answered on 11 Feb 2015

Here's my romantic plan: buy his fav bottle of vino, pack a home made picnic basket filled with crackers, cheese, grapes, figs, my mushroom pate, my utterly delicious pizza bites with arrabiata sauce, a good helping of chicken caesar salad and my scrummy red velvet in a jar...and take him to the botanical gardens to spend the rest of the day.

Ksenia M. answered on 27 Jun 2019

I have 1 idea! Galaxy cake is a mousse-based dessert that looks so decorative and beautiful, you’ll want to have it and eat it at the same time. https://club.cooking/recipe/galaxy-cake/