Chocolate is one of our favorite treats. On Valentine’s Day, we are surrounded by chocolate. Instead of buying that box of chocolates, create some chocolate treats at home.
Chocolate is actually good for us. Let me rephrase that before you make a run on the store. Dark chocolate is actually full of good things like antioxidants that help to keep our bodies healthy. Consuming a little dark chocolate each day has a beneficial effect.
Remind your sweetie of that on Valentine’s Day. As long as you purchase dark chocolate, they don’t have to feel guilty about eating sweets. Use some dark chocolate to create homemade chocolate desserts to enjoy on Valentine’s Day.
A favorite chocolate dessert is lava cakes. Just like the name implies, once you cut into the cake, the gooey chocolate runs out of the center. Use a stencil to create a powdered sugar heart on top of each one.
When making chocolate desserts that call for melted chocolate it is important to do it right. We have all had those boo-boo’s in the kitchen with chocolate that we’d rather not mention. For instance, turning the burner on high will not melt the chocolate any faster—neither will adding water to the pan and swirling the chocolate around. All you’ll end up with is a very expensive mess.
Chocolate bricks are not cheap so use them sparingly and wisely. If you need to melt chocolate, do so in a non-stick saucepan. Chocolate melts best over low heat.
You don’t need to stir the chocolate for it to melt. Once the chocolate takes on a glassy appearance, it has melted. The chocolate can be removed from the heat and stirred into the recipe.
Even a hint of chocolate in the dessert can be tasted by us chocolate connoisseurs. If you are making a cake, add a bit of melted chocolate to turn it into a chocolate pound cake or a chocolate cheesecake.
For a sinful dessert create icing to top your chocolate creations. A chocolate cake, cupcake, or pie covered in chocolate icing or chocolate sauce makes it heavenly. Only those with a really sweet tooth can handle such a chocolate dessert. It is not for newbies.
There are tons of chocolate desserts you can create for Valentine’s Day to surprise your gal or guy. Try out some chocolate truffles or a chocolate trifle bowl dessert. Chocolate is also an aphrodisiac so watch out if you eat too much!
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Here are three recipes to help you get started…
My Darling Valentine Chocolate Cups
What You Need:
2 squares white baking chocolate
3 T milk, divided
2 T cream cheese, softened
2 squares semi sweet baking chocolate
2 Maraschino cherries
How to Make It:
Place the white chocolate squares into a microwave safe bowl.
Add 1 T of the milk.
Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes then stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Beat the 2 T of the cream cheese into the mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
Place the 2 squares of semi sweet chocolate into a separate microwave bowl.
Add the remaining milk and microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes.
Remove and stir until the chocolate is smooth.
Spoon the mixture side by side into dessert bowls.
Place the bowls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill through.
Garnish each bowl with a cherry.
Serving Size: 2
Comments:
Nothing says love like chocolate. End you romantic dinner with this special dessert and watch the sparks fly.
Valentine Red Cupcakes
What You Need:
3 eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
3/4 C butter at room temperature for 30 minutes
3 C flour
2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t salt
2 1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 T red food coloring
1 1/2 C buttermilk
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t vinegar
Powdered sugar
Conversation heart candies
How to Make It:
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow the oven to heat while making the batter.
Spray two twelve cup muffin tins with a non stick cooking spray and sprinkle both with a little flour tapping out any excess.
Place the flour, cocoa powder and the salt together in a mixing bowl and toss to combine.
Place the butter in a separate mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add the sugar and the vanilla and continue to beat until all the ingredients are incorporated together.
Add the eggs one at a time beating after each egg addition until they are incorporated into the mixture.
Add the food coloring and beat on the low speed until combined.
Alternating back forth between the flour and buttermilk add them to the butter mixture beating on low speed after each addition until both have been added.
Place the baking soda in a small bowl and stir in the vinegar.
Add the mixture to the batter and beat on low speed until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins filling each cup 2/3 full.
Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean.
Remove and cool to room temperature.
Place a heart shaped cookie cutter on top of each cupcake.
Sprinkle powdered sugar carefully inside each cutter.
Remove the cutter and place 1 conversation heart candy in the middle of the powdered sugar heart.
Serving Size: 24
You can make 12 jumbo cupcakes out of this batter if you prefer. The baking time will change to 20 minutes but the rest of recipe remains the same.
From the Heart Fondue
What You Need:
2 T half and half
1 T butter
2 T light rum, divided
8 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
How to Make It:
Place the half and half into a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the butter and 1 T of rum and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour in the remaining rum and whisk until combined.
Transfer to a small fondue pot or a custard cup place on a heated serving plate.
Serving Size: 4
This is the perfect dipper for fresh strawberries, raspberries or even fortune cookies. If the chocolate becomes too thick for dipping whisk in 1 t of half and half at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.
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