Valentine’s Day Desserts on a Budget

Valentine’s Day is an occasion centered around chocolate and flowers – oh, and romance, of course. Lots of people are making spending cutbacks this year, but you shouldn’t have to pass up the chance to do something special and celebrate with your loved one as a result. Naturally, I think that homemade treats (and maybe some flowers) are a great option.

The most obvious choice for a Valentine dessert is chocolate. Dark Chocolate Souffles are surprisingly easy to make, and they make an impressive presentation. Molten Center Chocolate Cakes are practically the mascot of Valentine’s Day desserts. The homemade version is less expensive and tastier than what you’ll find in many restaurants. The lovely heart-shaped cakes pictured above are Flourless Chocolate Mini Cakes. One recipe makes a whole batch of them, not just two servings, so be prepared to have some extra chocolate desserts to share on the 15th. Other options include Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies have a swirl of red in their white cheesecake topping, and lots of flavors to make the basic brownies more interesting. Red Velvet Cupcakes have a a hint of chocolate and a beautiful color, perfect for the holiday.

Adding some heart shapes will transform any recipe into something a little more lovey-dovey. The mini cakes are baked in heart-shaped Reynolds Fun Shapes Baking Cups, small disposable foil pans that are a nice change from regular cupcakes. You can opt for a full sized cake, too, or use cookie cutters to make heart-shaped marshmallows or cut-out cookies.

If you don’t want to cook, there are lots of even easier options, too. Homade Drinking Chocolate with whipped cream is indulgent and simple, a great way to start off a lazy Valentine’s Day morning.  An Espresso Truffle Latte is a better choice for coffee drinkers. And don’t forget that you can make Peanut Butter Cups and Mint Chocolate Truffles at home instead of going out to buy chocolates!