Valentine’s Day is known for being a day of indulgences, so go ahead and throw out your diet for the night! We won’t tell! Whether you’re making treats for your sweetie, your kids, your girl friends or yourself, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite desserts that will surely win hearts this February 14th.
For the chocolate lovers:
We love chocolate any time of year, and we love indulging in some really special treats for special occasions! Adding a bit of liquor to your dessert can give it an extra special touch, just like in this chocolate rum pudding from Massimo Capra. And for a bite-sized yet oh-so-decadent treat, try these chocolate truffles from Mairlyn Smith — we bet you can’t eat just one!
Want to put your slow cooker to work on V-Day? We love how easy it is to throw together this melt-in-your-mouth chocolate pudding cake from Ricardo.
Looking for something a little healthier? These gluten-free chocolate muffins from Claire Tansey turn into scrumptious cupcakes when you top them with an easy vanilla marshmallow frosting! We also love Mairlyn Smith’s guilt-free chocolate mousse — it has a secret ingredient that we bet your guests would never guess!
For the fruit lovers:
Do you love a more naturally sweet treat? Fresh fruit can help turn any dessert up a notch! We’re crazy for crepes and Jason Parsons’ recipe for macerated berries with homemade crepes will make you ask for seconds! For an even more decadent fruit-filled treat, try Massimo’s crispy fruit ravioli — deep-fried to perfection and served with a rich chocolate dipping sauce!
Berry fans can also make use of their slow cooker for Valentine’s Day! Ricardo’s slow cooker strawberry cheesecake is as easy as it is delicious.
Don’t let the cold weather scare you off from a frozen dessert! Massimo’s grown-up take on a strawberry vanilla shake is a perfect way to end your evening.
Alright, we might have fibbed a little bit. There’s some chocolate in this section, too! But we think you’ll forgive us when you try Randy Feltis’ amazing chocolate-covered strawberries.
For the kids:
While most of the recipes above will surely be loved by your little ones, we wanted to also highlight a few special kid-friendly treats! Our friends Ceri Marsh and Laura Keogh of Sweet Potato Chronicles are often our go-to source for great recipes for the whole family, and we think your kids will love their mini chocolate cheesecakes, black and white cookies, and peanut butter chocolate balls. The cheesecakes and cookies would be perfect for your kids to bring in for the whole class, too! (Just be sure to keep the peanut butter balls at home because of potential nut allergies in the classroom.)
It doesn’t matter how cold it is outside — kids always love ice cream! Randy Feltis’ mini ice cream sandwiches are easy to assemble and each child can top them with their favourite candies. They’re almost as fun to make as they are to eat!
What sweet treat will you be making this Valentine’s Day? Share your favourites in the comments below!