Valentines Day Baking Ideas

We previously wrote a blog post about Ideas for a Lockdown Valentines Day (click here)

I thought it would be a good idea to give you some Valentines inspiration for baking for the kids and by yourselves.!

I posted a few ideas and recipes on my Instagram recently, but thought it adding them all here would be beneficial for you guys!

Shortbread Hearts

Ingredients

• 200g Unsalted Butter (or a suitable alternative)
• 100g Caster Sugar (plus more for sprinking)
• 300g Plain Flour (plus more for dusting)

Decoration (totally optional but we used)

• 75g White Chocolate
• 75g Milk Chocolate
• Food Colouring
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Add butter and sugar in a bowl, beat together until fluffy (we used a hand whisk)
2. Add in flour and beat until the dough has formed (make sure it is well combined)
3. Lightly flour the surface and roll out the dough. Roll until the dough is around 1cm think.
4. Cut out your shortbread hearts – we used a heart cookie cutter, but you can use any cookie cutter of course, or even make your own with a card.
5. Carefully pick the shortbread up and add to a lined baking tray. Once they are all cut up, place in the fridge for 30 minutes
6. Whilst they are chilling, preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan.
7. Once chilled, sprinkle lightly with caster sugar.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until they’re turning lightly golden (if shortbreads vary in size, adjust the cooking times accordingly)
9. Once baked, leave to cool. Then decorate and Enjoy!

Valentines Triple Chocolate Brownie Tray Bake

Ingredients

• 200g Dark Chocolate
• 200g Unsalted Butter
• 3 Large Eggs
• 275g Caster Sugar
• 90g Plain Flour
• 35g Cocoa Powder
• 100g White Chocolate (Chopped or Chips)
• 100g Milk Chocolate (Chopped or Chips)
• 100g Dark Chocolate (Chopped or Chips)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan and line a 9′ square baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Melt together the Butter and Dark Chocolate in a microwave for 1-2 minutes until all melted. Leave aside to cool to room temp.
3. Using a electric mixer, whisk together the Eggs and Caster Sugar for a few minutes until the mixture has turned pale and is doubled in volume.
4. You will know it is done with you lift your whisk up out of the mix it will leave a trail for a couple of seconds before disappearing.
5. When whisked, pour the cooled chocolate mix in and fold together carefully. Take your time as you don’t want to knock out all the air.
6. Once completely combined, sift the Cocoa Powder and Flour on top of the chocolate mixture and then fold in again. Again be careful when folding!
7. Once well combined, fold through the chopped chocolate and pour into the prepared tin – bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until you think it is moist enough! Once baked, leave to cool in the tin completely.
8. At this stage, we added melted pink chocolate and sprinkles.

Oreo Ladybugs

Ingredients

• 10 Oreos
• 75g White Chocolate
• Pink Food Colouring
• Edible Eyes
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Melt the White Chocolate in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
2. Use the Pink Food Colouring to colour the chocolate (use as much as you want to get the desired colour)
3. Dip half the Oreo in the chocolate and set aside.
4. The decorate with the edible eyes and the sprinkles
5. Enjoy

Heart Shaped Cheese Nibbles

Ingredients

• 120g Plain Flour (extra for rolling)
• 120g Butter
• 120g Cheese
• Add spice for flavour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C / 150C Fan.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, using your hands (great to do with kids) until a dough is formed.
3. Roll out the dough to a 5mm thickness on a lightly floured surface.
4. Use your cookie cutter, we used a smaller heart cookie cutter, to cut out your biscuits.
5. Place your biscuits on your parchment lined baking tray and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
7. Enjoy

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients

• Strawberries
• 50g White Chocolate
• 50g Milk Chocolate
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Melt your White Chocolate and Milk Chocolate in separate bowls in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
2. Dip your strawberries in the melted chocolate and set aside.
3. Use sprinkles or any other decorations to make the strawberries look amazing.
4. Set in the fridge for an hour
5. Enjoy!