Valentine's day cakes and desserts

[MauEvig]

I'm surprised there isn't more stuff for Valentine's day cookies, cakes, desserts and more.
So I decided to do some google searches and here is what I have found:

http://www.delish.com/entertaining-idea ... ts#slide-1

I honestly would never have thought of peanut butter and jam cookies personally. The cake looks good though. I might want to go for a different kind of pie, but I imagine I could still make the heart shapes in it. I think cherry pie or chocolate silk would be good for Valentine's day.

To be honest though I think the easiest way to make a Valentine's day dessert is to get some heart shaped pans and cookie cutters and just make your regular recipes that way.

[Murfreesboro]

We don't usually make a big deal of Valentine's Day, but for the past few years I have been dipping strawberries in chocolate.

[MauEvig]

Actually those sound lovely. I've heard of them, I can't remember if I've actually had chocolate dipped strawberries.
Strawberries seem like they'd be a good Valentine's day fruit though, since they're delectable, sweet and if you cut them they sort of look heart-shaped.
I saw some Valentine cup cakes you might like that were topped with Strawberries. I haven't tried them myself though.
https://www.facebook.com/27780806228439 ... nref=story
It doesn't even list a recipe though, I think they're just made by some Bakery or Cup Cake shop. I bet it wouldn't be hard to make an equivalent though at home. I tried strawberry flavored cake once though and I wasn't very crazy about it. I do like Red Velvet though, but I think Chocolate is my absolute favorite, but I won't turn down a slice of yellow or white cake either. I'll take Strawberry over Lemon though any day.

[Murfreesboro]

Chocolate-dipped strawberries are ridiculously easy. Just make sure you pat the strawberries dry after rinsing them and before you dip them, otherwise the chocolate won't adhere. You can get the wafers for melting at any grocery store, and Wilton makes a little chocolate melting pot--or you can just use a double boiler. You lay then out on waxed paper to cool and the chocolate hardens as it cools. You can dip bananas, too, whatever fruit you like. Mandarin orange slices might be good as well.

[MauEvig]

It looks like there are a variety of ways to do strawberry dipping too. Plenty of opportunities to be creative, and it looks like it's not limited to Valentine's day either.
These for example look like they would be perfect for the Fourth of July:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwhYqA1O5Iw/T ... G_1684.JPG

These look like they're ready for Game Day:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/imag ... vXFhjYK_JA

(Not that I watch sports or anything, I just like any opportunity to be creative. Some people seem to think of the Super Bowl as a holiday in and of it's own lol)

These ones with the stripes look amazing:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q= ... 4846605969

I like the idea of the heart they made here:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vp_dJqDFF0A/T ... -+Copy.JPG

Can you use a regular ol' sauce pan? I might just have to try this someday...

[Murfreesboro]

Well, melting chocolate can be tricky, because it's easy to burn. I think that's why people like to use double boilers for it, or those little chocolate melters that Wilton makes.

I think there might be a way to do it in the microwave, too.

[MauEvig]

Might go for the microwave route. I think that's how they do it on "Nerdy Nummies" plus I think my mom tried that once before. I think the chocolate can burn that way too if you're not careful.
What exactly is a double boiler? I'm not sure if I can afford to buy any new pots and pans right now. ^^;

[Murfreesboro]

It's a combination of saucepans. You put the water in the lower pan and place the smaller pan (which is sized to fit into the bottom one) over it, with whatever you are melting. The water underneath boils, and it steams the upper pan.

[MauEvig]

Oh OK. I might be able to try a method like that.
Can you dip them in white chocolate too or other candy wafers? I like to get creative when I do stuff like this lol.

[Murfreesboro]

Sure, use whatever flavors you like.