Chocolate gems for Valentine’s Day

The Post’s Recipe Finder holds subsets of treasures, and it’s holidays like Feb. 14 that reinforce the fact. We searched the archive and found a baker’s dozen of desserts (yes, even the pancakes) that might have gotten overlooked in the company of Salty Chocolate Nutella Thumbprints and Man-Catcher Brownies.

(Julia Ewan/The Washington Post) By the way: If you remember a chocolate recipe that ran in The Post long ago and you can’t find it in our database, let us know! Just e-mail to food@washpost.com, and we’ll make sure it’s included.

Mary Lee’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake , pictured above. What a successful marriage of those flavors should taste like. Makes fine cupcakes, too; from Mary Lee Montfort of Mary Lee’s Desserts.

Favorite Bittersweet Chocolate Bars . Lisa Yockelson’s dense, moist hybrid of the best chocolate cake and best brownie you’ve ever had. Frosting would be overkill.

Aztec Cocoa . With fiery chili pepper and cinnamon.

Chocolate Bread Pudding . One of the best ways we can think of to repurpose old brioche or croissants, from chef David Guas.

Better-for-You One-Bowl Brownies . Nancy Baggett’s light option will cost you only 4 grams of fat per 2-inch square.

Caramelized White Chocolate Ice Cream , pictured above. Hard to beat this frozen dessert from David Lebovitz. Look for white chocolate with a high butterfat content.

Chocolate Dipping Sauce A perfect component for chocolate covered strawberries, or any other fruit of your choice.

(Sheri Giblin)

French Silk , pictured above. Classy and gluten-free. Serve in small portions.

(Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post) Chocolate Lime Bread , pictured at left. A real sleeper; easy to do in mini-loaf pans.

Dark Chocolate Sorbet With Tarragon and Grapefruit . Definitely for adults; refreshingly different.

Saturday Night Meringues . No butter, no oil, no egg yolks, no flour.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Pancakes . Rich and delicious; passes the chocoholic test.

(Julia Ewan for The Washington Post) Valerie’s Cake , pictured above. A twofer: Make this sentimental Mother’s Day recipe for a mom (or mom-to-be) in your life.