Best Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes

By I. Papa

​Red Velvet Cupcakes
 
You will adore these cupcakes as they will kick your holiday season to a start! They are creamy, soft, and visually delightful! Not to mention the adorable heart-shaped sprinkles on the top.
 
Recipe: https://www.aheadofthyme.com/red-velvet-cupcakes/

Cake

1. Combine dry ingredients. Inside a mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk carefully to mix and set the bowl aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In a separate mixing bowl, add soft butter and sugar, then beat them together with an electric hand mixer for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. In the same bowl, add 2 eggs and mix well.
4. Add remaining wet ingredients. (Oil, sour cream, vanilla, red food coloring, vinegar) then beat until fully combined. 
5. Combine the product from both bowls into one and beat until smooth and totally mixed.
6. Scoop batter. Line a 12-tin muffin pan with cupcake liners. Share the batter into the liners (may use a cookie scoop to facilitate the process).
7. Bake in a preheated oven (of 177ºC) for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack before frosting.

Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer with a whip attachment, at medium speed until fluffy.
2. Gradually add sugar in small additions, beating on low after each addition
3. Add vanilla and salt and beat at high speed for 2-3 minutes.

 
Piping

1. Transfer all frosting into a piping bag with any tip.
2. Carefully pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, completing a circular movement by starting at the center and moving to the edges.
3. Finally, top each cupcake with sprinkles (preferably heart-shaped) and enjoy! 

 
 
Chocolate chip cookies
 
Although chocolate chip cookies suit every season, their warmth and taste will delight the month of February, and perfectly suit Valentine’s Day! It is a mix of butter and dough, with extracts of pure vanilla and sweet chocolate. 
 
Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com
 
Ingredients
 
·       2 tablespoons cake flour
·       1⅔ cups bread flour 
·       1¼ teaspoons baking soda
·       1¼ cups unsalted butter 
·       1¼ cups light brown sugar 
·       1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
·       2 large eggs
·       2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
·       Chocolate chips (as many as you wish)
·       Sea salt
 
Method

1. Add sugar, flour, baking soda, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and mix carefully, until batter is fluffy and smooth.
2. Add chocolate chips to the batter according to your personal preference.   
   
3. Preheat oven to 177ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop up medium-sized balls of bater and place them separate from each other onto the baking mat so that the batter from one ball doesn’t mix to another. Make as many as possible and top them with a sprinkle of sea salt. 
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden-brown but soft inside.
6. Enjoy!

 
Chocolate covered strawberries
 
My personal favorite! Chocolate covered strawberries are quick and easy to make, requiring few ingredients. They have a wonderful, sugared taste but still manage to be a perfect combination of flavors.

Ingredients
 
Strawberries
Chocolate chips/chocolate bar
Coconut oil
 
Method

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a bowl, add chocolate chips and/or chocolate of your preference and coconut oil and microwave for 20 seconds. 
3. With a spoon, mix the chocolate dip to ensure it is smooth.
4. Dip the strawberries into the chocolate and place onto the baking sheet.
5. Refrigerate until chocolate is set (approximately 30 minutes).
6. Enjoy!