Since Valentines Day gives us the chance to show our sweet side to our loved ones, we have collected our favourite heart shaped desserts to share with you. Whether your valentine loves rich chocolate or classic cheesecake, you’re sure to win hearts with these romantic recipes.
Brownie Heart Cupcakes – You’ll need:
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 400g butter, cut into pieces
- 300g unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Cream
Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Coat a 20cm square cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom with baking paper, then spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until chocolate melts.
Attach bowl to mixer, add sugar, and whisk on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then add vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture.
Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full, then spread remaining batter in square pan. Bake until set but still soft, for about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins and pan on wire racks then frost cupcakes with cream. Cut out 24 hearts from brownie in pan using a small heart-shaped cutter and top each cupcake with a heart.
Strawberry Heart Cheesecake Bites – You’ll need:
Shortbread Crust
- 1 3/4 cups shortbread cookie crumbs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp melted butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 900g cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Sour Cream Honey Topping
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
Topping
- Honey (optional)
- Strawberries sliced into heart shapes
Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line a baking pan with baking paper, leaving 2cm hanging over edges of pan; set aside. For Shortbread Crust, in a medium bowl combine crushed cookies and 1 tbsp sugar. Stir in melted butter until combined. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan.
For Filling, in a very large bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until fluffy. Beat in flour until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed until just combined then stir in sour cream. Pour filling in crust-lined pan and bake for 40 minutes.
For Sour Cream Honey Topper, in a medium bowl stir together sour cream, honey, and vanilla. Remove cheesecake from oven. Spread mixture over hot cheesecake. Bake for 10 minutes more. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover; chill at least 4 hours. Use foil to lift uncut bars from pan. Cut into 54 bites. Top each square with a strawberry slice. If desired, drizzle with additional honey.
We would love to know what you’re cooking your loved one this Valentines Day! Head over to our Facebook page to let us know.