VALENTINE'S DAY HOW-TO: EASY CHOCOLATE RECIPES and SWEET DIY CARDS

Want to do something sweet for your Valentine? I've got a few suggestions and they just could not be easier.

MAKE AN IMPRESSIVE (BUT OH SO EASY) DESSERT: STRAWBERRY NAPOLEONS

If he's taking you out for Valentine's Day, skip the dessert and have it at home with a lovely bottle of bubbly. There is something so special about a homemade dessert- especially when the dessert looks like it took hours to make. Use boxed puff pastry you find in the frozen food section of the store along with some fresh whipped cream and some berries infused in your favorite liqueur. Viola! You've got a pastry shop worthy treat that you can even shape into a heart if your heart desires.  Get the recipe...

NOTHING SAYS LOVE LIKE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Homemade treats are always a welcome gift-and chocolate always tops the list. These homemade chocolate truffles are better than most you find at the store and very easy to make. You can customize these chocolate truffles in your Valentine's favorite flavors and pack them in a tin or box lined with pretty cupcake or parchment paper.  Get the recipe....

BAKE HER (or HIM) A MINI CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ

Soufflés are impressive- mainly because people think they are so difficult. Shhhh- they're not. But your technique and timing are both important. You can make this recipe up to 30 minutes before you pop them into the oven. I love chocolate Soufflés paired with a liqueur-infused cream Angalise (yes, you can cheat and use melted vanilla ice cream instead of making your own Anglaise) Get the recipe....

MAKE YOUR SWEETHEART A VALENTINE'S DAY BREAKFAST (MAYBE SERVED ON A TRAY IN BED WITH A FAVORITE BOOK OR MOVIE?)

This year, Valentine's Day (February 14th)  falls on Saturday. The perfect way to start the day is to make your Valentine breakfast. 

START WITH COFFEE...

Start with milk you froth in the microwave or with a whisk and create a symbol of love right in her coffee cup....  a coffee 'card" if you will. Even if you are not an artist like the baristas at your favorite coffee shop or you don't have a cappuccino machine or milk frother at home (I don't have one) you can still whip up this sweet treat with a Mason jar or a whisk. If your Valentine doesn't drink coffee, our friend Robin suggested to use the heart template to sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on bread for cinnamon toast. Get the how-to...

MAKE A PUFFY SKILLET PANCAKE

A big, puffed up skillet pancake- also called a Dutch Baby- is always a hit when you bring it to the table. When you go the extra step to decorate it with a powdered sugar heart or chocolate shavings, it is even more impressive!

For the heart decoration, simply cut a heart from some brown craft paper or tin foil. Place it over the pancake and dust over it with powdered sugar or cocoa from a mesh strainer. You've got an instant Valentine! Get the recipe...

FOR THE KIDS: STRAWBERRY NUTELLA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Who are we kidding here? I'd love it if someone made me this decadent stuffed French Toast for Valentine's Day- or any other day, for that matter.

Stuffed with fresh strawberries, marscapone cheese, and Nutella, the chocolate hazelnut spreaed... do you need to know anything else? Get the recipe...

AND WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FORGOT THE CARD...

Make a DIY Valentine. You don't have to be super creative or have perfect penmanship like all the folks on Pinterest.I think it is perfectly okay just to write out your sentiments out like I did with this little flip book. Get the how-to...

Wishing you a sweet Valentine's Day!

DIY VALENTINE'S DAY: SURPRISE YOUR VALENTINE WITH A COFFEE HOUSE STYLE LATTE AND HEART (WITHOUT A MACHINE)

If you wake up on Valentine's Day (or her birthday or anniversary, etc) and have no gift or card ready, no worries! Your sweetheart will love your clever Valentine's Day coffee 'card' but let's be real. A heart in her coffee isn't going to get you completely off the hook but it might buy you a little time. Even if you are not an artist like the baristas at your favorite coffee shop or you don't have a cappuccino machine or milk frother at home (I don't) you can still whip up a perfectly frothy latte using a Mason jar or a whisk.

Make a latte milk foam heart like coffee shop baristas make as shown in the photo on the left or use a stencil made from tin foil to easily create a heart design in the milk foam as shown on the right. It's easy to make the milk foam, but to draw the heart design with the milk foam does require practice. I watched a video from BaristaJam.com to learn how.

SUPPLIES

Foil

Scissors

Small mesh strainer

Mason jar with lid or whisk

INGREDIENTS

Espresso or strong coffee

1% or 2% milk

Cocoa or powdered cinnamon

HOW TO:

Make a heart stencil from a small piece of tin foil. Fold a 5x5 inch piece of foil in half. With the scissors, cut half a heart like you did back in grade school. Open it up.

Put a teaspoon or less of cocoa or cinnamon into the mesh strainer.

Make strong coffee or espresso as usual. 

Be prepared to use the milk and foam immediately as it will dissolve quickly.

MICROWAVE METHOD: Pour the milk into the Mason jar or heat-proof jar and tighten the lid. Do not fill more than half full because it will expand.  Shake the jar really hard for 40 seconds until it doubles in volume. Take the lid off the jar. Microwave uncovered on high for 30 seconds. The foam should rise to the top of the jar.

STOVE METHOD: Put the milk into a saucepan. Heat through but do not allow the milk to come to a boil. Whisk the milk vigorously until it foams.

Pour the coffee into a mug and spoon the hot milk and foam on top. Gently place the stencil over the foam and dust the cocoa or cinnamon over it.  

WARM AND WONDERFUL: INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉS ARE EASY TO MASTER

Soufflés always intimidate, but they are not difficult. These individual chocolate soufflés are fluffy, delightful bites of chocolate heaven. And so easy! They will be a favorite... serve them warm out of the oven with just a drizzle of heavy cream... or ice cream, or whiskey sauce, or whatever you have around.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉS

Prep Time: 20 minutes    Cook Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon cocoa

1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for the ramekins

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely

3 large egg yolks, room temperature

6 large egg whites, room temperature

1/16 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter four oven-proof ramekins. Combine the cocoa and 2 tablespoons sugar. Dust the ramekins with the cocoa and sugar mixture. Set aside.

Carefully melt the chocolate in a heat-proof glass bowl over simmering water. Chocolate burns quickly so don't leave it unattended. Stir until just melted then remove the chocolate from the heat. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, gently whisking them together with the chocolate. Set aside.  

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with salt on medium speed until they are shiny and form soft peaks. Then turn the mixer on high and add the sugar, a little at a time until the egg whites will hold stiff shiny peaks.

Next, begin to incorporate the egg whites into the chocolate. This is an important step. You do not want to deflate the egg whites, but you do need to make sure there are no visible whites peeking through. Use a large spoon, spatula, or whisk; work gently. Add about a cup of the egg whites to the chocolate to smooth out the chocolate a bit. Then add the rest, 1/3 at a time, spooning up and over, very gently, to incorporate. It should be very light and fluffy, but make sure you have no threads of white peeking through the chocolate.

Spoon into the prepared ramekins- leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. Bake for 15 minutes or you can bake up to 18 minutes to make them more cake-like.

You can let these sit for up to 30 minutes before baking or you can bake them immediately. Makes 4.