Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth this Valentine’s Day? Whether you’re going out to a romantic dinner with your significant other or watching a Sex in the City marathon with your girlfriends in celebration of “Galentine’s Day,” be sure to try out one of these mouthwatering dessert recipes. Treat yourself this holiday with everything from chocolate covered toffee to cheesecake stuffed strawberries!
Melt in Your Mouth Toffee
(AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients: 1 lb. butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils. Boil to brittle stage at 300°F without stirring. Remove from heat.
2. Pour nuts and chocolate chips into a 9×13 in. dish. Pour hot mixture over the nuts and chocolate. Let the mixture cool and break into pieces before serving.
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
(AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients: 1 box red velvet cake mix, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. bourbon, ¼ cup butter, softened, 2 tsp. evaporated milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ cup flaked coconut, 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans
Icing: 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, and bourbon in a large bowl. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops start to crack, about 8 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and coconut. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well with each addition. If consistency is too stiff, add more milk.
5. Place the chopped pecans in a bowl. Spread a generous amount of icing on the bottom of a cookie, sandwich it with another cookie, pressing firmly so that the icing comes all the way out to the edge. Roll the edges of the sandwich cookies in the chopped pecans. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Lemon and Sugar Crepes
(The Illustrated Kitchen Bible by Victoria Blashford-Snell)
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp. vegetable oil, plus more for cooking crepes, 1 pinch of salt, lemon wedges and sugar to serve
Directions:
1. Process the milk, flour, eggs, oil, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C). Heat an 8in (20cm) crepe or nonstick frying pan, over high heat until a splash of water “dances” on the surface. Pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom, swirl the pan to coat, then pour off the excess oil.
3. Ladle about 3 tbsp of the batter into the center of the pan and immediately tilt and swirl the pan so the batter covers the base thinly. Cook the crepe for about 1 minute until small bubbles appear on the top. Slide a metal spatula underneath and flip the crepe over, then continue cooking for 30 seconds more, or until golden and cooked through.
4. Transfer to a plate, roll up and keep warm in the oven. Repeat, oiling the pan as needed, until all of the batter has been used. Serve the crepes hot, sprinkled with sugar, drizzled with lemon juice and served with lemon slices.
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
(TheSweetLife.com)
Ingredients: 1 lb. large strawberries, 8 oz. cream cheese, softened, 3-4 tbsp. powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs
Directions:
1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some may already be hollow inside). Prep all strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.