Photograph by Dan Forbes*
February 14th isn't as far away as you think. For those of you planning a special meal for a loved one, nothing will top off the evening (or seal the deal, ifyouknowwhatwemean) like a decadent dessert. So ditch the boxed chocolates in favor of something homemade. But which sweets have the most seductive powers? We asked our Facebook fans for their favorite finishes to a romantic meal and here are the results, paired to match with Bon Appetit recipes that are quite sexy, if we do say so ourselves.
You said: "Pavlova with strawberries!" --Laura Angeliki Sargenti
We say: Orange-Flower Pavlovas with Strawberries
You said: "Creme brulee." --Ana Agundez
We say: Coffee Caramel Creme Brulee
You said: "Anything that can be eaten off of fingers." --Nita Simmons
We say: Brandied Apricot Beignets with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
You said: "Bananas Foster"--Angela Benford
We say: Rum, Caramel, and Banana Bread Pudding
You said: "Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse (BA, May 2001), easy easy, D-lish, and perfect."--Kim Cushman Bogle
We say: Top-Secret Chocolate Mousse
You said: "Only one way to go: molten chocolate cakes."--Arthur Ling
We say: Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream
You said: "The Top Tier Devil's Food Cake from a couple of years ago. Perfectly sized cake for two, plus a bit of leftovers for the next day (or morning)."--Margie LaVelle Gater
We say: Top-Tier Devil's Food Cake with Sour Cream Fudge Frosting
You said: "Fudge brownies with peanut butter chips. Talk about over the top chocolate and a touch of peanut butter. Then add a little vanilla bean ice cream on the side!"--Michael Miller
We say: Peanut Butter and Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts
You said: "Chocolate espresso pots de creme."--Caroline Kuhn
We say: Smoked-Tea-Infused Chocolate Pots de Creme