This Valentine’s Day, celebrate love with indulgent, nutty delights crafted by celebrated chefs. From rich chocolate pecan fudge and guilt-free chocolate ice cream to romantic mains and elegant desserts,
these recipes bring together romance, flavour, and wholesome goodness, perfect for cooking something special for your loved ones.
Cupid’s Delight Orange Brownie by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Ingredients
Melted butter – ½ cup
Orange chocolate – 1 large bar
Orange essence – ½ tsp
Orange zest – 1 tbsp
Flour – 1 cup
Baking powder – ½ tbsp
Almond powder – ½ cup
Almond pieces – ½ cup
Whole eggs – 2
Sugar – as per taste
Orange juice – ¼ cup
Orange sauce or syrup – for garnish
Method
Sift flour and baking powder together.
Melt butter and orange chocolate in a bowl. Add orange essence and sugar.
Add the sifted flour, almond powder, orange juice, and orange zest, then gently fold in the eggs.
Do not overmix; combine lightly with a spatula.
Line a baking tray with greased butter paper and pour in the mixture.
Bake at 170°C for 25–30 minutes. Do not overbake.
Cut into brownies and serve warm with icing sugar and orange sauce.
Strawberry & Burrata “Amour” with Rose-Balsamic Pearls Recipe by Owaize Ahmed Khan, Executive Chef, Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road
Cuisine Style: Modern European | Valentine Signature Cold Starter
Ingredients (Serves 4)
Fresh burrata cheese – 2 balls (125 g each)
Fresh strawberries – 200 g, sliced
Baby arugula / rocket leaves – 40 g
Strawberry Marinade
Strawberry purée – 60 ml
Honey – 1 tbsp
Lemon zest – a pinch
Cracked pink peppercorn – to taste
Rose-Balsamic Dressing
White balsamic vinegar – 40 ml
Extra virgin olive oil – 60 ml
Rose water – 3–4 drops (very mild)
Salt – to taste
Garnish
Balsamic pearls / caviar – 2 tbsp
Pistachio slivers – 1 tbsp
Micro basil or edible rose petals
Method
Lightly toss strawberry slices with strawberry purée, honey, lemon zest, and cracked pink pepper. Chill for 10 minutes.
Whisk white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and rose water gently until balanced.
Arrange arugula on a chilled plate and place burrata at the centre.
Gently tear the burrata and arrange the marinated strawberries in a heart shape around it.
Drizzle rose-balsamic dressing lightly and finish with garnish.
Valentine’s Flavour Paneer Lavang Lata Recipe by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Ingredients
Paneer Rolls
Cottage cheese – 250 g
Thick mint chutney – 50 g
Besan – ½ cup
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Salt – to taste
White pepper – to taste
Gravy
Chopped tomatoes – 200 g
Tomato purée – 100 ml
Oil – 2 tbsp
Cloves (for smoking) – 3–4
Cashew nuts – ½ cup
Char magaz – 1 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Green chillies – 2–3
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Jeera powder – ½ tsp
Dhaniya powder – 1 tsp
Whole spices – as required
Butter – 1 tbsp
Cream – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Method
Slice cottage cheese thinly, layer with mint chutney, and roll tightly.
In a saucepan, add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, cashews, green chillies, and char magaz. Boil until soft.
Cool and blend into a smooth purée.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan, add ginger-garlic paste, and sauté until lightly browned.
Add the purée and cook on low heat, adding spices and adjusting consistency.
Place hot charcoal in a steel bowl with cloves and ghee, float in the gravy, cover, and smoke for 10 minutes.
Add paneer rolls, butter, and cream. Serve hot with bread or rice.
Chocolate Pecan Fudge On behalf of American Pecans by Shivesh Bhatia
Ingredients
2 cups (350 g) chocolate, chopped
1 cup condensed milk (300 g)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup pecans, chopped
½ cup marshmallows
Whole pecans, for garnish
Instructions
In a saucepan set over medium heat, add the pecans and roast for about 10 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.
Let the pecans cool. Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt at regular intervals until smooth and lump-free.
Add condensed milk and melted butter to the chocolate and mix well until thickened.
Fold in the chopped pecans and marshmallows evenly.
Grease and line a 6-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and refrigerate for 4–5 hours until completely set.
Carefully lift out the fudge and cut into cubes using a sharp, hot knife for clean edges.
Chocolate Ice Cream By Rahul Kamra, Keto Coach & Founder, Ketorets
Ingredients
40 g Lindt 85% dark chocolate
40 g cream cheese
50 g fresh cream
½ tsp vanilla essence
4 sachets stevia
Instructions
Melt the chocolate and allow it to cool slightly.
Blend with cream cheese, fresh cream, stevia, and vanilla. Hand-blend over an ice bath for approximately 12 minutes.
Garnish with grated Lindt chocolate or cocoa powder and refrigerate for 3 hours to set.
Creamy Pistachio Pasta On behalf of American Pistachio Growers by Chef Neha Deepak Shah
Ingredients
1 large bowl spinach
½ cup broccoli
½ cup pistachios
100 g paneer
Salt, pepper, and chilli flakes to taste
A little milk, for blending
2 tsp butter
5–7 garlic cloves
100 g pasta of your choice
Some pasta water
Cheese and chopped pistachios, for garnish
Instructions
In a blender, combine blanched spinach, broccoli, pistachios, paneer or tofu, and a little milk. Blend into a smooth sauce.
Heat butter in a pan. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the green sauce and mix well.
Add cooked pasta along with some pasta water and stir to combine.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until the pasta is creamy and well coated.
Garnish with cheese and chopped pistachios before serving.
“Be Mine” Strawberry Cheesecake Bites Recipe by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Ingredients
Cracker Base
Cracker biscuits – 2 cups
Brown sugar – ¼ cup
Salt – a pinch
Melted butter – ½ cup
Cheesecake Filling
Full-fat cream cheese – 455 g
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Granulated sugar – ½ cup
Whipped cream – 1½ cups
Strawberry Topping
Water – 2 tbsp
Cornstarch – 2 tbsp
Strawberries (chopped) – 1½ cups
Granulated sugar – 1 cup
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Method
Mix cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and butter. Press into a pan and chill.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.
Spread over crust and chill.
Cook strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch slurry until thick. Add lemon juice.
Spread topping over cheesecake and chill before cutting into bars.
Lovers Cake (Where Love Turns Tangy) Recipe by Chef Aashish Bhalla, Pastry Chef, Sheraton Grand Bangalore
Dutch Sablé Dough
Unsalted butter – 250 g
Powdered sugar – 150 g
Egg yolk – 1
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
All-purpose flour – 330 g
Salt – ¼ tsp
Mix butter and sugar. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and dry ingredients.
Strawberry Mascarpone Cream
Strawberry purée – 290 g
Raspberry purée – 60 g
Italian meringue – 400 g
Whipped cream – 270 g
Mascarpone – 60 g
Gelatin sheets – 10 g
Boil purées, add meringue, mascarpone, whipped cream, and gelatin.
Italian Meringue
Egg whites – 180 g
Sugar – 200 g
Water – 25 g
Glucose – 40 g
Boil sugar, water, glucose; whisk into egg whites.
Lemon Almond Cream
Butter – 75 g
Icing sugar – 60 g
Eggs – 75 g
Flour – 25 g
Almond powder – 60 g
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, then dry ingredients.
Berry Compote
Strawberry purée – 100 g
Raspberry purée – 100 g
Agar agar – 1 g
Sugar – 10 g
Boil purées with sugar and agar agar.
Magic Mirchi Corn Pakoda Recipe by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Ingredients
Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2–3
Sweet corn (boiled) – 2 cups
Gram flour – ½ cup
Rice flour – 2 tbsp
Ginger (grated) – 4–5
Onion (sliced) – ½
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds or powder – ½ tsp
Hing – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Oil – for deep frying
Method
Coarsely mash ¼ of the corn for binding; keep the rest whole.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl without adding water initially.
Adjust consistency with a splash of water if needed.
Deep fry spoonfuls until golden and crispy.
Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.
Rose-Infused Chicken Roulade with Saffron Velouté Recipe by Owaize Ahmed Khan, Executive Chef, Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road
Cuisine Style: Modern European with Valentine Accents
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Chicken Roulade
Chicken breast – 2
Cream cheese – 80 g
Spinach (blanched & chopped) – 50 g
Sundried tomatoes (finely chopped) – 30 g
Rose water – a few drops (very mild)
Garlic – 1 tsp
Salt & white pepper – to taste
Olive oil – as required
Saffron Velouté
Butter – 30 g
Flour – 20 g
Chicken stock – 300 ml
Cream – 50 ml
Saffron strands – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Accompaniments
Heart-shaped fondant potatoes – 4 pieces
Baby carrots or asparagus – lightly glazed
Microgreens & edible rose petals – for garnish
Method
Chicken Roulade
Butterfly and flatten the chicken breasts evenly.
Mix cream cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, and rose water.
Spread filling evenly, roll tightly, and secure with cling film.
Poach at 75°C for 18–20 minutes, then lightly pan-sear in olive oil until golden.
Saffron Velouté
Prepare a blonde roux with butter and flour.
Gradually whisk in hot chicken stock until smooth.
Add saffron strands and cream; simmer until silky.
Season lightly and adjust consistency as needed.
Heart-Shaped Chocolate Moist Cake with Berry Confit & Vanilla Buttercream Recipe by Owaize Ahmed Khan, Executive Chef, Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road
Ingredients
Chocolate Moist Cake
Sugar – 180 g
Water – 200 ml
Refined flour – 157 g
Baking soda – 3 g
Cocoa powder – 225 g
Oil – 90 ml
Berry Filling
Frozen mixed berries – 150 g
Sugar – 25 g
Agar agar – 2 g
Buttercream Frosting
Unsalted butter – 150 g
Icing sugar – 100 g
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Red food colour – ½ tsp
Method
Whisk sugar and water until dissolved. Add oil and cocoa powder and mix well.
Fold in flour and baking soda to form a smooth batter.
Bake in a heart-shaped mould until moist and cooked through.
Berry Confit
Cook berries and sugar until soft.
Add dissolved agar agar and cool until set.
Buttercream
Beat butter until pale and fluffy.
Gradually add icing sugar and vanilla essence.
Mix in red food colour evenly.
Layer cake with berry confit, frost with buttercream, and finish smoothly.
Duck and Paan Skewers with Crunchy Peanut–Tamarind Sauce Recipe by Diptayan Sarkar, Chef de Cuisine, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway
Ingredients (Makes 4 Skewers)
Duck Ragout
Duck mince – 200 g
Leeks – 20 g
Celery – 20 g
Onion – 35 g
Carrot – 20 g
Red wine – 100 ml
Garlic – 12 g
Bay leaf – 1
Black peppercorn – a pinch
Salt – to taste
Tomato sauce – 30 g
Tomato paste – 10 g
Hoisin sauce – 30 g
Dried cranberries – 60 g
Paan leaves – 10
Peanut–Tamarind Sauce
Neutral oil – 30 ml
Onion – 35 g
Makrut lime leaf – 4
Garlic – 10 g
Fresh red chilli – 2
Red curry paste – 20 g
Tamarind concentrate – 10 g
Crunchy peanut butter – 200 g
Fish sauce – 5 ml
Palm sugar – 10 g
ABC sauce – 10 g
Coconut milk – 30 g
Method
Duck Ragout
Heat oil and cook duck mince until golden; reserve.
In the same pan, add bay leaf and peppercorns.
Add garlic, onion, leek, celery, and carrot; sweat well.
Add tomato paste, cook until oil separates.
Return duck mince, add tomato sauce and red wine; cook off alcohol.
Add hoisin sauce and cranberries; season.
Fold in chiffonade paan leaves after cooling.
Sauce
Heat oil, add lime leaf, garlic, chilli, and onion.
Add curry paste, peanut butter, tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, ABC sauce, and coconut milk.
Season and simmer.
Assembly
Place 50 g ragout on each paan leaf, roll, skewer, and grill.
Serve with sauce, salad, and lemon.
