Sweet endings for Valentine’s Day

Dessert should be the highlight of your Valentine’s dinner.

Baked Alaska, a restaurant classic, is a favorite for special occasions because it packs plenty of Wow! factor. It’s also great to cook together because it involves so many little steps. And what’s more romantic than cooking something together, then setting it on fire?

If mocha isn’t your thing, feel free to use whatever flavor ice cream or sorbet you prefer. Just skip the instant coffee in the chocolate sauce.

To make a simple yet decadent flourless chocolate cake, all it takes is a quick pulse in the food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the almonds with a knife and whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, but the texture of the cake won’t be as delicate.

The cake can be baked in a small cake pan, or divided among muffin cups. To dress it up for Valentine’s Day, you also could purchase heart-shaped foil baking pans (sold at most grocers). Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Start to finish: 30 minutes. Servings: 6.

1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

12 ounces dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup (1 stick)

unsalted butter

4 eggs

Heat the oven to 350 F. Spritz a 6-inch cake pan or muffin tins with baking spray (a cooking spray containing flour).

In a food processor, pulse the almonds and sugar until finely ground. Set aside.

In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine the chocolate chips and butter. Microwave on high in 15-second bursts, stirring between, until melted and smooth.

With the processor running, pour the chocolate mixture in and process until combined. One at a time, add the eggs, processing between each to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process one last time.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes (depending on pan size), or until the cake is puffed and no longer glossy. Let rest in the pan until the top sinks back down, about 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mocha Baked Alaska

Start to finish: 45 minutes. Servings: 4.

For the syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the mocha sauce:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

4 ounces dark chocolate chips

For the base:

1 pint purchased coffee ice cream

4 slices (about 6 ounces) purchased pound cake

For the strawberries:

8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon orange liqueur

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup water

To make the syrup, in a small sauce pan over medium-high, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil so that the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the vanilla, then set aside.

To make the mocha sauce, in a microwave-safe dish, combine the cream and coffee granules. Heat on high in 30-second bursts until bubbly. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth, then set aside.

Use a biscuit cutter or overturned large glass to cut each slice of pound cake into rounds. Arrange the cake rounds on a baking sheet. If you wish to prepare only 2 servings, divide the cakes between 2 baking sheets. Brush each round with the vanilla sugar syrup.

Scoop the ice cream into 4 large balls and mound one on top of each slice of cake. Place in the freezer.

In a medium bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and orange liquor. Set aside.

Place the eggs in a large bowl. Prepare an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. In a small saucepan over medium, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the water. When the temperature of the sugar and water reaches 220 F, turn the mixer on medium-high and whip the egg whites.

When the egg whites are very frothy, slowly add to them the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Continue cooking the sugar syrup until it reaches 240 F. This should happen at almost the same time at the egg whites being ready.

With the mixer on, pour the sugar syrup down the inside of the bowl into the egg whites. Continue beating until the outside of the bowl is no longer warm and the meringue is thick and bright white.

Remove the cakes from the freezer. Using a spoon or a piping bag, completely cover the outside of the ice cream and cake with meringue. If you only plan to prepare 2 servings, the remaining can be frozen until needed.

Heat a broiler. When the broiler is very hot, place the meringue-covered cake and ice cream rounds under it for about 1 minute, or until just lightly browned.

To serve, coat the bottom of each serving plate with the chocolate sauce. Use a spatula to transfer one baked Alaska to each plate, then spoon strawberries alongside it. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 975 calories; 407 calories from fat; 45 g fat (28 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 255 mg cholesterol; 135 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 309 mg sodium.