For the love of chocolate

Valentine's Day, just a little over a week away, is a holiday indelibly linked to chocolate ever since clever marketeers back in the 19th century began packaging it in heart-shaped boxes.

Just as indelibly linked to chocolate was the late Maida Heatter, who died last year at the age of 102. She wrote three books dedicated to chocolate and was honored by the James Beard Foundation. As she was leaving the stage after picking up that award, with typical flair she retrieved from her Versace handbag cellophane-wrapped brownies and tossed them out to an appreciative audience.

Though she left hundreds of chocolate dessert recipes suitable for Valentine's Day, modern cooks may not know her work. Yet in her day -- before the Food Network and the internet -- her recipes went "viral" in their own way. Her recipe for Chocolate Mousse Torte, for example, was The New York Times' most requested recipe of 1972.

Her legion of fans included celebrity chefs -- and me. I followed her instructions slavishly. The first cheesecake I ever made for commercial purposes was modeled on one of hers.

Heatter's recipes gave you confidence because in addition to highly detailed instructions (her pie crust recipe is five pages long) they contain words of reassurance. Not a few of them include the injunction "don't worry" if a batter looks curdled or a cake seems to buckle.

One of several best-selling cookbooks authored by Maida Heatter, filled with chocolate desserts like most of her books, which made her reputation before she died last year at the age of 102.Submitted by Tom Harte

Her books are filled with tips, such as to double-check your oven temperature with two thermometers. She may have learned this lesson the hard way. After submitting the manuscript for her first book, her oven technician noticed that her thermostat was off by 25 degrees. She felt she had no choice but to retest every single recipe. That's how meticulous she was. And it showed in her recipes.

"I am the Chairperson of the Board of the Chocolate Lovers Association of the World," she wrote. If that group has a chapter in heaven, you can be sure Heatter is currently presiding there next to the celestial KitchenAid (though she preferred her aging Sunbeam Mixmaster).

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love, including love of chocolate. This year it would also be a perfect time to celebrate the remarkable career of Maida Heatter.

September 7 Cake

Maida Heatter invented this cake for her birthday. It's absolutely decadent, as any cake containing almost a quart of whipping cream is likely to be. The recipe is adapted from her last book, "Happiness is Baking."

• 6 extra-large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 3 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 9 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg yolks at high speed until light in color. Add 6 tablespoons granulated sugar and beat to the ribbon stage. Fold in cocoa just until incorporated. Add salt to egg whites and beat at high speed to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until whites hold firm, but not stiff or dry, peaks. Fold beaten whites into chocolate mixture one half at a time. Pour half of batter into each of two 9-inch cake pans which have been greased and lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees until layers spring back when touched lightly. Remove from pans and cool completely. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water, let stand 5 minutes, then microwave 20 seconds until gelatin completely dissolves. Beat 1 1/4 cups cream with 5 tablespoons powdered sugar until cream softly holds its shape. Add 1/4 cup unbeaten cream to the gelatin and pour into the whipped cream. Beat until firm enough to hold its shape. Place one layer of the cake on the bottom of a springform pan. Cover with whipped cream mixture and top with other cake layer and refrigerate. Melt chocolate, butter, and coffee until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile beat remaining 2 cups cream, remaining 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, and vanilla until cream softly holds its shape, being careful that it does not become stiff. Fold into melted chocolate. Remove cake from pan and frost with chocolate cream mixture. Chill at least 6 hours or overnight.