The “set” quickly changes in retail stores right after Christmas, with employees busy stocking card racks and shelves with Valentine’s Day items. Many feel, including me, that seeing this transition gives a glimpse of spring, just what we need with the frigid weather we have been experiencing.
Love will be in the air Feb. 14, with the 145 million Valentine’s Day cards (in the U.S. alone) that are sent expressing love and good wishes, according to Hallmark. And, this does not include kid’s handmade cards! After Christmas, it is the second most popular occasion for sending greeting cards.
Did you know…..
• Valentine’s Day is also celebrated in Canada, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom France, Australia, Denmark, Japan as well as many other countries.
• According to the National Retail Federation, the average person celebrating Valentine’s Day spent $165 in 2021
• The first Valentine sent was in 1415
• Teachers receive the most cards, followed by wives, mothers and children
• Candy hearts original use were lozenges for the throat. Later on, the pharmacist who invented the machine to make the lozenges began making them with cute sayings on the hearts.
• In 1861, Richard Cadbury, son of the founder of the chocolate company that bares his name wanted to increase chocolate sales. So, he invented the first heart-shaped box to package the confections for Valentine’s Day.
The ritual of exchanging confections, especially chocolates is thought to be because of chocolate’s aphrodisiac qualities. Another reason, according to “Food Timeline” the Valentine candy phenomenon is just a clever scheme developed by confectioners to promote products in the seasonal lull between Christmas and Easter. Whatever the reason, what better way to show your Valentine and loved ones how special they are on Feb. 14 than with a gift of chocolate or other confections you made for them?
Checking out seasonal cookbook displays, I browsed through several books to see what titles will help make delectable treats for your Valentines. Of course, one had to become part of my collection. After reading the introduction of “Hello, Sugar! Classic Southern Sweets”, by Beth Branch (2018, Globe Pequot, $27.95), I felt this is the one. Branch writes, “Baking with and for other people is the sweetest gesture, literally and figuratively. You are saying, ‘I made this with my hands. With my time. With my heart. I made this for you.’” Some of her recipes have been passed down through her family. She has a box of her grandmother’s old and tattered recipe cards, something I wish my grandmother had done. She concluded her introduction saying, “there is just something so special about making those recipes — gifts that keep on giving. That is what I hope this book can do for you.” Now, isn’t this love and what Valentine’s Day is all about?
Check out these decadent chocolate desserts from Branch’s book. For her recipe for Death By Chocolate Mousse Cake, visit https://bit.ly/2MIOQO8
Chocolate Whiskey Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust
The headnote says, “This is the dessert you should make when you’re craving something rich and decadent. The salty pretzel crust perfectly balances the sweetness, and there’s even whiskey in the whipped cream!”
Ingredients for pretzel crust:
2 cups pretzel crumbs (about 6 cups of mini pretzels, processed)
½ cup butter, melted
Ingredients for the chocolate whiskey cheesecake:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 (6-ounce) container plain Greek yogurt
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled
⅓ cup whiskey
Ingredients for the whiskey whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons whiskey
To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Combine the crumbs and butter, stirring until all crumbs are coated. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the spring form pan. Set aside.
To make the cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the yogurt, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Add the chocolate and whiskey, and mix until completely incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust in the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the edges of the cheesecake are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and crack the oven door; let the cheesecake sit in the oven until the oven is cool. (This helps prevent cracks in your cheesecake.) Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4—6 hours, or overnight.
To make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and whiskey. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake. Store covered in the refrigerator or cut into slices to serve. Serves 12.
Dark Chocolate—Peanut Butter Cobbler
The headnote says, “No, this is not the fruity kind of cobbler. This indulgent dessert is similar to a sticky cake with a gooey sauce on the bottom. Serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and ice cream!”
For the cobbler:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
Pinch of ground cinnamon
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk
⅓ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup dark chocolate chips
For the topping:
2 tablespoon Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
For the garnishes:
Confectioners’ sugar
Vanilla ice cream
To make the cobbler: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the milk, butter, vanilla, and peanut butter. Stir until the ingredients are well
blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter in a greased 8-inch baking dish.
To make the topping: Stir together the cocoa powder and brown sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the pan. Pour the boiling water over the top of the batter, but do not mix.
To make the cake: Bake 35—40 minutes, or until the top looks crackled and the center is almost set. Remove from the oven, and cool for 15—20 minutes. Serve warm dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with a scoop of ice cream, if desired. Serves 8.
Stephen Fries, is a professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, CT. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 14 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, CT. Stephen@stephenfries.com For more, go to stephenfries.com.
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Sweet stop: Love will bloom with these sugary Valentine’s Day treats - The Times Herald
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