For Valentine’s Day 2017, serve up some freshly-baked Valentine’s desserts to your partner. To make your Valentine’s Day special and to indulge your sweet tooth, these Valentine’s Day desserts are a must try!
Fudge Brownie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
- Vanilla glaze (recipe below)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Line a baking pan with a foil and let it extend over the edges. Grease the foil and set aside.
Heat one cup butter and chocolate over low heat in a heavy saucepan and stir until the chocolate melts. Set it aside.
Mix together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in another bowl. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and cool it to room temperature.
Sift flour, salt, and baking powder and fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Add the pecans and stir. Pour the batter in the baking pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F. The brownie will appear shiny and set. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Refrigerate the brownies for 12 to 24 hours before serving. To serve, cut the brownies in the desired shape and drizzle with vanilla glaze.
Vanilla Glaze Recipe
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon milk
In a small bowl, add all the ingredients and stir. Gradually add more milk to get a drizzling consistency.
Peanut Butter Truffles Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
- 8 ounces chocolate-flavored candy coating
- Edible flower petals and/or lavender buds (optional)
Directions
Bring whipping cream just to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and stir. Add the chocolate pieces and stir until it melts. Transfer the mixture to a two-quart baking dish. Cover and chill until firm.
With a cookie scoop, scoop the truffle mixture into one inch balls and place them on a baking sheet. Cover the truffles and freeze for 30 minutes.
Melt candy coating over low heat in a saucepan, stirring until it melts. Using a fork dip the truffles in the coating and return the truffles to the baking sheet. Let it stand until the coating sets.
Garnish each with edible flower petals or lavender buds. You can store the truffles up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Vanilla Pudding with Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle Recipe
Ingredients for cookie brittle:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
Ingredients for pudding:
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups milk
- 1 beaten egg plus 3 beaten egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Directions for Cookie Brittle
Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil. Set aside.
Heat and stir sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and stir in the flour and vanilla. Mix well. Pour the mixture on the pan and spread it in a thin layer.
Bake for 12 minutes at 350°F. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces. After it cools down, refrigerate it until it becomes firm enough to to be broken into pieces.
To make the pudding, add sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add milk and cook over medium until it thickens. Remove from heat and add about half of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs, stir and add the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cook for more two minutes. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until butter melts. Pour in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.
Serve with cookie brittle.
With these succulent Valentine’s Day desserts, this will be your best Valentine’s Day ever.
Sources:
“Fudge Brownie,” Midwest Living web site; http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/brownies/fudge-brownie, last accessed February 7, 2017.
“Creamy Peanut Butter Truffles,” Midwest Living web site; http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/candy/creamy-peanut-butter-truffles, last accessed February 7, 2017.
“Vanilla Pudding with Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle,” Midwest Living web site; http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/vanilla-pudding-with-chocolate-chip-cookie-brittle/, last accessed February 7, 2017.
