Baking Noms for V-Day

    Why pay fifty dollars for chocolates packaged in a fancy heart shaped box that will eventually end up in your trashcan when you can make your own delicious alternatives for less? It is a lot more meaningful to make something for a significant other than to buy the classic Russell Stover Valentine’s Day assortment.  Baking is also something fun to do with your friends if you aren’t sharing Valentine’s Day with a significant other this year.  Here are some recipes to share with both friends and a special someone.  

Love Note Cupcakes

Better Homes and Gardens (simplified)

Ingredients

Cake Mix

2-ounce bottle or ¼ a cup of red food coloring

Vanilla Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

Directions

1. Line muffin cups with paper bake cups.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, except use a mixture of red food coloring and water equal to the amount of water called for in the package directions.

4. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed.

5. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes. Then remove cupcakes from tray and cool completely.

6. Put frosting in three different cups: two white and one chocolate. Put a few drops of red dye into one white frosting bowl and stir until it is pink as desired.

7. Frost cupcakes with each color.

1. Place the remaining frosting in three separate pastry bags that have writing tips.

2. Draw messages or hearts on the cupcakes in contrasting colors.

3. Cover loosely and chill to store.

No – Bake Truffles

AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 cups of confectioners’ sugar

3 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until well blended.

2. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla* until no streaks are left.

3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Shape into 1 inch balls.

5. Roll truffles in nuts, cocoa, coconut, sugar, sprinkles, etc. depending on preference.

*If you want to flavor the truffles with liqueurs, omit the vanilla and divide the truffle mixture into thirds before shaping. Add a tablespoon of preferred liqueur, such as almond, coffee, orange to each mixture and mix it well. Then shape.

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Chocolate Pistachio Heart Cookies

Better Home and Garden

Ingredients

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 beaten egg

2-¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

¾ cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1 tablespoon shortening

½ cup ground pistachio nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar. Heat and stir over low heat until butter is melted.

3. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla.

4. Cool mixture 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the beaten egg, flour, and cocoa powder until combined.

6. Stir in the ¾ cup pistachio nuts.

7. Divide dough in half.

8. Cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

9. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time to ¼ inch thickness.

10. Use a heart shape cookie cutter to make cookies.

11. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

12. Bake for 9 minutes and then cool.

13. In a small saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until melted. Remove from heat.

14. Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate mixture, and roll edges of cookie in ground pistachio nuts.

Cupid’s Cups

Kraft

Ingredients

1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

2 cups boiling water, divided

2 packages of JELLO Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

1 ½ cups cold water, divided

Ice cubes

1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Valentine sprinkles and candies

Directions

1. Draw a heart design or write Valentine’s Day messages in each of the plastic cups by piping chocolate onto the inside walls.

2. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

3. Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 package gelatin mix in a medium bowl.

4. Stir for 2 minutes until it is completely dissolved.

5. Stir in 1 cup cold water and pour into prepared cups.

6. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

7. Add remaining boiling water into gelatin mix.

8. Stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.

9. Add enough ice to remaining cold water to measure 1 cup.

10. Add to gelatin and stir until thickened.

11. Stir in cool whip and spoon over gelatin layer in cups.

12. Refrigerate for three hours.

13. Decorate as desired.

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Sweet Wontons

Ingredients

1 medium banana, peeled and cut into chucks

¼ cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup roasted and shelled pistachio nuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Simple Indulgence Tupperware Chocolate Dessert Blend

1 tablespoon Mascarpone Cheese

1 tablespoon Sour Cream

24 refrigerated wonton wrappers

1 beaten egg

2 cups canola oil

Directions

1. Combine banana and brown sugar in a small bowl.

2. In another small bowl, combine nuts, dessert blend, sour cream, and mascarpone cheese.

3. Place a teaspoon of each mixtures in the center of the wonton.

4. Brush the wonton with beaten egg and fold diagonally to form a triangle.

5. Press edges together firmly to seal.

6. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

7. Place wontons in the pan one at a time and fry until golden.

8. Remove and drain on paper towels.

9. Sprinkle with dessert blend or powdered sugar.

10. Cool 2 minutes and serve warm.

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