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Valentine’s Day treats help celebrate a sweet holiday

12–18 minutes

Breanna Swiech ‘26, Feature Editor

Valentine’s Day, whether you view it as a cliché symbol of love, or a romantic, rose-tinted glasses holiday, is the one day a year when eating endless amounts of chocolate is deemed acceptable. With that in mind, there is definite room to step up from just eating Hershey’s during Valentine’s Day. This February, show yourself some love by making a sweet treat and taking time to relax. Enjoy these tasty recipes, whether baking for a friend, significant other, or even just yourself, this holiday. 

Red Velvet Strawberry Cake (courtesy of Food Network)

Originally, unprocessed cocoa beans were used to give red velvet cakes their garnet tint. Now, most people use red food coloring because of its accessibility and easy use. Either way, this cake is a great way to show off your baking skills. It looks—and not to mention tastes—amazing as its colors are true to Valentine’s Day. The recipe also calls for adding a bit of hot coffee to elevate the chocolate’s flavor. This technique is used in many baked goods, but is especially exciting in Food Network’s Red Velvet Strawberry Cake. For beginner bakers, this cake might be a bit more difficult, but what is life without any sort of challenge? 

Ingredients: 

Cake:

  • ¼ cup hot coffee
  • 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
  • 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp red gel food coloring
  • ¾ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp distilled white vinegar

Filling: 

  • One ¼ oz package unflavored gelatin
  • 20 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • 1 ¾ cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • 24 oz strawberries

Directions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and cut two 22 x 3 ½-inch strips of parchment paper. Spray 7-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment and fit one parchment strip around the inside of the pan. Spray again with nonstick spray. 
  2. Whisk together coffee and cocoa powder in a small bowl until cocoa is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl, then set aside. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix sugar and vegetable oil on medium speed. Add eggs, vanilla, and food coloring and mix until smooth. Add in cocoa mixture. Then, on low speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients. 
  4. Add half the buttermilk, and then another ⅓ of dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Then add remaining buttermilk. 
  5. Stop the mixer, then in a small bowl mix vinegar and baking soda. It should bubble up. Immediately add the mixture to the batter, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix for another 15 seconds. 
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, set the pan on a baking sheet, and bake until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan, slide the bottom of the pan from under the cake, and let the cake cool on a cooling rack. 
  7. Once the cake is cooled, use a serrated knife to trim the top of the cake until it is flat. Then, slice the cake horizontally into two layers. 
  8. For the filling: sprinkle the gelatin over two tbsp of cold water in a small bowl. Set aside to bloom for five minutes. 
  9. Mix the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth. Transfer ¾ cup mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and set aside in the refrigerator Microwave the bloomed gelatin until melted, about 20 seconds. Beat the gelatin into the remaining cream cheese along with the sour cream, and mix until smooth. 
  10. Set aside five of the prettiest strawberries for decorating the top of the cake. Remove the green tops from the rest of the strawberries. Trim the berries if necessary, so that they are similar in height when standing up on the trimmed end.
  11. To assemble the cake, set one layer of cake on a cake board or flat serving platter. Unlock the clean ring of the springform pan and place it around the cake layer. Take the second strip of parchment and wrap around the cake inside the ring, so that it is standing up, then lock the cake ring, so that it hugs the parchment against the cake. 
  12. Spread ⅓ cup of the cream cheese filling over the cake layer. Slice a strawberry in half vertically and press the cut halves up against the parchment, so that they touch at the bottom. Repeat until you have a ring of berries around the inside of the parchment. Take the remaining whole berries and fill in the interior of the ring, trimmed side down (you may not use all the berries depending on their size). 
  13. Spread the rest of the filling over the berries, making sure that it fills in the gaps between them. 
  14. Gently tap the cake on the counter to eliminate any air pocket. Place the second layer of cake on top, making sure the parchment is around the sides, and gently press down. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is chilled through and set, at least three hours and up to eight hours.
  15. When ready to serve, unlock the springform ring and lift it off the cake. Peel off the parchment strip, being careful not to pull it straight out, but rather gently away from the sides of the cake. With the reserved frosting, pipe 14 stars in a circle around the top edge of the cake, then pipe 10 stars in a smaller circle, then two large rosettes in the center. Cut the reserved five strawberries in half vertically, leaving the green tops on, and place seven strawberry halves in every other gap between the 14 piped stars. Arrange the remaining three strawberry halves on the rosettes in the center of the cake. Slice and enjoy! 

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars (courtesy of Martha Stewart) 

Now, if you are in the mood for a rich dessert, Martha Stewart’s No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars can cure any sweet-tooth. This recipe is simple because it only requires six ingredients, and most of them the common person tends to keep in stock at their house. Although the recipe says it takes four and a half hours to make, it only really takes a half hour to prepare, and afterwards, it just needs to sit in the fridge. You can also swirl the peanut butter in to look like hearts if you want more Valentine’s Day flair. 

Ingredients: 

  • Cooking spray
  • 16 oz creamy peanut butter (1 ¾ cups)
  • 1 stick plus 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)

Directions: 

  1. Coat bottom and sides of an eight-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and two sides with parchment, leaving a two-inch overhang. In a large bowl, stir together 1 ½ cups peanut butter, 1 stick butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, until smoother. Transfer to the prepared pan, and purses with your hands to flatten and smooth the top (if mixture is too sticky, dampen them slightly).
  2. Combine chocolate and four tablespoons butter in a metal bowl. Set over a saucepan of simmering water; stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat and let school slightly, stirring gently, about three minutes. Pour chocolate over peanut-butter mixture in baking pan, tilting pan to ensure chocolate spreads evenly across the top. 
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together remaining two tablespoons butter and ¼ cup peanut butter until smooth. Let stand until slightly thickened, about five minutes. Drop ¼ to ¾ teaspoon rounds of mixture on top of the chocolate in the baking pan in one-inch intervals. Drag the tip of a wooden skewer or toothpick quickly through the center of each round to create a heart shape. Refrigerate until firm, at least four hours or, loosely covered, up to one week. 
  4. Run a paring knife along the edges of the pan on the two sides not lined with parchment. Use parchment overhangs to lift from the pan; cut into two-inch bars and serve cold. Enjoy! 

Cream Puffs (courtesy of Natasha’s Kitchen)

Cream puffs are a delicious light and fluffy dessert made from a french pastry called choux. Now, personally, at least, anything that sounds remotely French sounds daunting, but choux pastry is manageable if you take your time and go slow. One of the most common mistakes when making the pastry is to add the eggs too early, so they become scrambled. Also, keep the oven closed while baking, so it does not release any heat. If you open the oven, even just to check if the puffs are baking okay, they will deflate. Natasha’s recipe also includes instructions for a whipped filling, but there are many different options when it comes to topping the cream puff. Whether you dip the top in chocolate ganache, fill the middle with fresh berries, or try something a little more experimental, it is hard to go wrong with a cream puff. 

Ingredients (makes 28 cream puffs):

Choux Pastry:

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cp whole milk 
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature

Filling:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar, to garnish

Directions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan combine ½ cup water, ½ cup milk, 8 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Bring to boil over medium heat , then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once with a wooden spoon. 
  3. Once flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat, stirring constantly for 1 ½ to 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook flour. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan and dough will come together into a smooth ball. 
  4. Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for one minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add four eggs, one at a time, allowing to fully incorporate between additions. Beat another minute until the dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up. 
  5. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with ½-inch round top. Pipe 28 puffs, each 1 ½ inch diameter and  ½ inch tall rounds. Keep them one inch apart and avoid making peaks, but if you do get peaks, wet fingertips lightly with water and smooth them out.  
  6. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes in the center of the oven. Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake 20-22 minutes longer or until golden brown on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 
  7. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 4 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy with stiff peaks (about two minutes). Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. 
  8. Once cream puffs are completely cooled, fill them with cream. There are 2 ways to fill them: (#1) pipe the cream into the puffs by pushing the pastry tip into the side and piping until cream pushes back, or (#2) Cut off tops of puffs and pipe cream inside using a pastry bag, then cover with tops. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. 

Strawberry Mochi (courtesy of Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking)

Mochi ice cream is the perfect refreshing dessert because of the sweet rice dough on the outside and the cool ice cream on the inside. Traditionally, it was eaten during the Japanese New Year, but it has since become more mainstream and is a delicious dessert year-round. This recipe uses strawberry ice cream, but mochi ice cream is customizable and can be any flavor from matcha to chocolate. Mochi dough can be very sticky, though, so make sure to use cornstarch, otherwise it could make a bit of a mess. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups strawberry  or vanilla ice cream
  • 1 cup sweet glutinous rice flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • A few drops of red food coloring (optional)
  • Cornstarch for dusting

Directions: 

  1. Line a small tray with parchment paper. With a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out 12 two tablespoon-sized scoops of ice cream onto the prepared pan and place in freezer
  2. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the sweet rice flour, sugar, and water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for one minute.
  3. Stir the rice flour mixture with a whisk to remove any lumps, recover with the plastic wrap, and microwave for another minute.
  4. Dip a rubber spatula in water and stir the rice mixture again (do not use the whisk this time – it will be too sticky).
  5. Cover the rice mixture one more time and microwave for another 30 seconds. It will now be a sticky dough. If adding in food dye, stir it in at this point until it’s evenly throughout the dough.
  6. Place a large parchment paper on your counter and cover the paper with a generous dusting of cornstarch (or potato starch).
  7. With a wet spatula, scrape the dough onto the cornstarch and dust the top of the dough with more cornstarch.
  8. Roll the dough into a rectangle no less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep dusting the top and bottom of the dough with cornstarch as you roll or it will stick.
  9. Once the dough is rolled out, place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes.
  10. Once the dough has set, cut circles of dough with a 3 ¾ inch cutter.
  11. Pick up one circle of dough and brush off the excess cornstarch from both sides.
  12. Working quickly, take one scoop of ice cream, place in the center of the circle flat side facing you. Press the edges of the dough together around the ice cream ball, squeezing to seal.
  13. Wrap the mochi ice cream balls in cling wrap and place seam side down back in the freezer to set. You could use an egg carton to keep them upright. Repeat with remaining circles of dough and ice cream balls. Allow mochi to freeze totally for a minimum of 2 hours in the freezer.
  14. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let sit for a few minutes to soften.
  15. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. 

Creme Brulee (courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction)

Creme Brulee is another deceivingly intimidating dessert just by the looks of it, but this recipe is super simple with only six ingredients and six steps. The dessert itself is a custard with a burnt sugar top. One thing to note, though, is that creme brulee is easy to over-bake, so even if the custard seems a bit wobbly, that is how it is supposed to be. Another thing to note is that creme brulee has a delicious burnt sugar top, which can be accomplished with a kitchen torch. If you do not own a kitchen torch, the broiler setting on your oven can also be used. 

Ingredients: 

  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ¾ granulated sugar
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • ½ tsp espresso powder (optional, but recommended)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Use 8 shallow 4 oz oval ramekins to prepare and bake in

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
  2. Whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup of granulated sugar together, then set aside. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. 
  3. Separately, heat the heavy cream, espresso powder, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it begins to simmer, remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Remove about ½ cup of warm heavy cream and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolks. Keep the egg yolks moving, so they do not scramble. Pour and whisk the egg mixture into the heavy cream. 
  4. Place ramekins in a large baking pan. If you don’t have a pan large enough, bake them in a couple pans. Divide custard between each ramekin, fillinto the top. Carefully fill the pan with about ½ inch of the hot water. The baking pan will be hot, so use oven mitts to transfer the pan to the oven. 
  5. Bake until the edges are set and centers are a little jiggly. The time depends on the depth of your ramekins. The ramekins used in this recipe are one-inch and the custard takes 35 minutes. Begin checking them in 30 minutes. For a more accurate sign, they’re done when an instant read thermometer registers 170 degrees. 
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the ramekins from the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool for at least one hour. Place in the refrigerator, loosely covered, and chill for at least four hours and up to two days before topping. 
  7. Using the remaining granulated sugar, sprinkle a thin layer all over the surface of the chilled custards. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch or oven broiler and serve immediately.