Valentine's Day Desserts & Treats
Here are some ideas for homemade Valentine's Day sweets using chocolate,
cherries and berries, and cinnamon -- all delicious, "I love you!" options! Have fun choosing which homemade treat to make to convey your sentiments on Valentine's Day!
Planning to make sweets for your sweet this Valentine's Day? Because they're
thoughtful and include an investment of your time, homemade goodies are the
perfect way to show someone your affection. (Besides, maybe the way to your
love's heart is through the stomach!)
Perhaps you'll share your homemade dessert with your partner at home after a romantic dinner out, or maybe you'll prepare a home-cooked meal as a prelude. Maybe you'll deliver little treats at the office or tuck them in your kids' lunchboxes. You might even consider throwing a little dessert party (simply serve with tea, or provide wine and cheese as well) or kicking off the day with a nutritious sweet treat, in celebration.
Chocolate
Considered decadent, prized, and delicious, chocolate (named "food of the gods" by the Greeks) is emblematic of Valentine's Day. When combined with the right spices (cinnamon, cardamom, or even chili powder!) or flavors (such as almond or vanilla, orange or hazelnut), chocolate makes a dessert that's well worthy of its status. Here are some divine examples, including a cookie for the white-chocolate lover.
Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Masala Chocolate Truffles
Coconut Rum Truffles
Chocolate Espresso Bistro Cake
Mexican Chocolate-Almond Cake (vegan)
Mocha Almond Parfait (vegan)
Exotic
Spice Cookies
Regal Chocolate Cake
Cherries & Berries
Cherries and berries are other Valentine's Day favorites, often combined with chocolate for even more delicious decadence. Red cherries, raspberries, and strawberries provide the appropriate red and pink flourishes, too! Here are a few cherry/berry treats to try, including pancakes and scones to kick off the day:
Recipes
Cherry Pudding
Raspberry Millet Pancakes
Cherry Scones
Cinnamon
To make memorable treats, include some appetizing spices in your cooking. Most suitable for the occasion are warm spices that enhance the sweetness of a cake or cookie or highlight a traditional chocolate or berry dessert. That most indispensable warm spice, cinnamon, adds pungent sweetness to any baked treat. Its enticing aroma will add just the right ambiance, too. Try some of these treats featuring cinnamon.
Recipes
Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Clusters
Cinnamon Meringues
Wine Soaked Berries on a Cinnamon Cloud
Cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom are other warming spices that add aroma and flavor to Valentine's Desserts, as in this cake recipe:
Honey Spice Cake
