RELATED LINK: Mmmm, yummy DIY treats for Valentine’s Day
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Truffles
For the base
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup cashew butter
For the filling
1 cup almonds (or other type of nut)
½ cup dates (can also use honey or agave)
Your choice of flavoring, to taste (sea salt, curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, rose water, chopped dried fruit, citrus zest, etc.)
For the coating
Cocoa powder, which you can use plain or enhance with your favorite spices, citrus zest, ground nuts, shredded coconut flakes, etc.
Place cashew butter, maple syrup and cocoa powder in a food processor. Cover; process until smooth and thick. Place mixture in a bowl and let chill in the refrigerator until firm.
To make the filling, place almonds (or other nuts) in a food processor. Cover and process until it has a fine consistency. Add dates; cover and process until the mixture becomes a sticky paste.
To assemble truffles, use your hands to shape filling mixture into ½-inch balls. With your hands, scoop up some of the base mixture and form it around each ball until it measures about 1½ inches. Roll the balls in the coating. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.
— Courtesy of
Elle Lien Lynch of Omaha
Chocolate Berry Tarts
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole crackers)
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup fresh blackberries
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
Confectioners’ sugar
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 tablespoons butter; stir in cracker crumbs and sugar. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of two 4-inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream, cinnamon and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Pour into crusts. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Just before serving, arrange berries over filling; sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 2 servings.
— Courtesy of Taste of Home
Pots de Creme
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash salt
¾ cup half-and-half cream
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional
In a small saucepan, combine the egg, sugar and salt. Whisk in cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees and coats the back of a metal spoon.
Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth. Pour into small dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 5 servings.
— Courtesy of Taste of Home
Puff Pastry Hearts
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups milk
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
½ to 1 teaspoon rum extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
2 packages (17.3 ounces each) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 jar (12 ounces) seedless raspberry preserves
2 cups fresh raspberries
Confectioners’ sugar
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
Remove from the heat. Gently stir in extracts. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until chilled.
In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into custard. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a lightly floured 3½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Place 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Just before serving, warm preserves in a small saucepan; drizzle some onto dessert plates. Split puff pastry hearts in half. Place bottom halves on plates; spread each with 2 tablespoons of filling. Replace tops; drizzle with remaining preserves. Garnish with raspberries and confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 3 dozen.
— Courtesy of Taste of Home
Berries with Champagne Cream
8 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1 cup Champagne
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries
In a heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks and sugar with a portable mixer until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in Champagne. Place the saucepan over low heat. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees, about 5-6 minutes.
Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water; stir for 2 minutes. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate until chilled.
Fold in whipped cream. Spoon three-quarters of the Champagne cream into stemmed glasses. Top with berries. Spoon remaining Champagne cream over berries. Yield: 6 servings.
— Courtesy of Taste of Home
Creme Brulee
4 cups heavy whipping cream
9 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown sugar
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the cream, egg yolks and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Stir in vanilla.
Transfer to eight 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Place cups in a baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove ramekins from water bath; cool for 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
One hour before serving, place custards on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Broil 8 inches from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Yield: 8 servings.
— Adapted from Taste of Home
Madeleines
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 pinch salt
8 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of half lemon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F.
In small saucepan, melt butter until light amber in color. Brush madeleine pan very lightly with melted butter and blot with a paper towel to remove excess butter. Set aside remaining butter left in saucepan. Dust pan lightly with small amount of flour and tap pan to remove excess.
Place hazelnuts and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar in food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until very fine.
In large bowl, combine hazelnut mixture, remaining powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Add egg whites, vanilla, and lemon zest; whisk to combine. Add remaining melted butter and whisk until incorporated. Fill molds evenly with batter. Bake 14 to 18 minutes. Cool 2 minutes, and remove from pan. Cool completely on racks. Dust cookies with additional powdered sugar, if desired.
— Recipe courtesy California Milk Advisory Board in Relish magazine
