St. Valentine’s Day Desserts

Honeymoon Mousse

Here’s a sweet treat for this St. Valentine’s Day for honeymooners, long-married couples, and lonely hearts.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Everyone will fall in love with this Honeymoon Mousse.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold evaporated milk
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Chocolate curls, optional

Directions:   In a blender, combine the milk, vanilla, sugar, chocolate and salt; cover and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

Originally published as Honeymoon Mousse in Simple & Delicious November/December 2007, p51

Chocolate Mousse from Frugal Feeding.com

The Frugal Feeding.com website contains various recipes, easy-to-follow instructions complete with stunning photography including the following:

Makes 6-10 Servings

Photo by Frugal Feeding.com

Ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate

• 100ml water

• 4 eggs

• 1-2 tbsp caster sugar*, depending on strength of chocolate
(*Caster sugar is a fine grind of granulated sugar.) 

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate together with the water either in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate one by one.

2. Transfer the egg whites into a large mixing bowl and beat until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the point at which they begin to form harder, stiffer peaks – be careful not to over beat. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three parts. When done, put in individual bowls then cool in the refrigerator for an hour.  Serve and Enjoy!

Frugal Feeding Tip:  Make sure that you’ve tried and tested your chosen chocolate and that it contains cocoa solids of absolutely no less than 55%, though 70% would be preferable.

For more detailed information on this recipe, click HERE.

Also try the Mocha Mousse recipe from Frugal Feeding.com    Follow Frugal Feeding on Facebook: Click Here.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Originally published as Red Velvet Cheesecake in Country Woman December/January 2012, p42

Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 17 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, crushed
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 TBsp sugar

FILLING:

• 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 3 TBsp. baking cocoa
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring

FROSTING:

• 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, buttermilk, cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in food coloring. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
4. Bake at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.
5. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost top of cheesecake. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 16 servings.

 

Kraft® Almond Heart Napoleons

Yield: 24 Servings

Ingredients: 

Fall in love with this tasty treat from Kraft®!

1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry sheets

1 1/2c. cold Half-and-Half

2 Tbsp. almond-flavored liquer or 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3.9 oz. pkg. JELL-O French Vanilla or Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. hot water
1 square Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Directions: Thaw the pastry at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unfold the pastry.

Using a 2 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut each sheet into 12 hearts. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheets and let cool completely on wire racks. Spilt each heart in half horizontally.

Pour the half-and-half and almond liquor or extract into a bowl, then add the dry pudding mix. Beat with a wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of the pudding mixture onto the bottom half of each heart; top with remaining pastry halves. Stir the hot water into the powdered sugar to make a thin glaze. Spread on top of the hearts. (If glaze becomes too thick, add more hot water.)

Drizzle the melted chocolate on top to form thin lines.

 

Rice Crispie Chocolately Photo Frame

Make this delicious photo frame with Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies®.

Picture Perfect Taste!

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows — OR — 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal
• Canned frosting or decorating gel
• Food coloring
• Assorted candies and/or multi-colored sprinkles

Directions: 

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool.

4. Trim desired photograph to about 10 x 6-inches. Cut a piece of wax paper to same size as photograph. Place wax paper on center of cereal mixture. Top wax paper with photograph. Cut narrow strips of wax paper to fit just over edges of photo. Pipe frosting on wax paper covering the edges of the photo, keeping frosting off of the photo. Decorate edges of cereal mixture with frosting and/or candies. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:  In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 through 4 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Note:
For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container.

A Southern Living Recipe©

Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet

Photo by Jennifer Davick; Styling by Buffy Hargett

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries*
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Preparation:

1. Process strawberries in a food processor or blender 30 seconds or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour strawberry puree through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing with back of a spoon. Discard solids. Add buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla to puree; stir until well blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Pour strawberry mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.) Garnish, if desired.
*1 (16-oz.) package frozen strawberries, thawed, may be substituted.

Southern Living © MAY 2008

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