Valentine's Day Desserts

Aren't these the cutest cups of cappucino?  Perfect to serve for Valentine's Day!  Actually, we took this photo on the other side of the world from us, in a coffee shop we visited on a family vacation in Korea.  Great memory.

Funny how the meals (and coffees!) we share create such lasting memories.  That's why it's fun to try to be a little festive for special occasions; your family will remember those special days. Like Valentine's Day.


While I think that Valentine's Day desserts should be special and fun,  they don't have to be difficult or take hours to make.  Today I'll share a couple of my favourites.

I made the first one about 40 years ago, on our first Valentine's Day, several months after our wedding.  You can make the meringue base a couple days ahead of time, if you wish.  The rest needs to be made ahead of time and chilled for at least 12 hours before cutting.

The second recipe was one I contributed to my hometown's cook book almost as many years ago.  I can't recall who gave me the recipe originally.  The cookbook editor was confused by the word "squares" in the title, and listed it with the brownies, nanaimo bars, and other "dainties".  It should have been with the recipes for desserts that are more of the cheesecake or whipped cream topping variety.  

I don't have recent photos as I post this but will add one when I do my own Valentine's Day baking.  That promise should provide incentive to ensure I do some baking!  

Both are yummy.  Let me know if your family enjoys them.  Or if you have other holiday desserts to share, please post! 

And Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

Cherries on a Cloud

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 cup sugar (1st amount)

1 pkg cream cheese (softened) (250 gram or less)

1/3 cup sugar (more if you have a sweet tooth but not too much more!) (2nd amount of sugar)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip) OR 1 cup real whipping cream, chilled

1 cup mini marshmallows  

1 can of cherry pie filling

1 tsp lemon or orange juice

1 cup sliced strawberries

First, make the meringue.  Heat over to 275.  Draw outline of a heart on parchment paper, approximately 8 or 9 inches across, and put paper on your baking sheet.  Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.  Beat in the 3/4 cup sugar SLOWLY, in about 7 or 8 measures, and continue beating egg mixture until very white and stiff.  It will be shiny.  You can tell if it is beaten enough by picking up the bowl and slowly turning it over.  STOP if the egg mixture is going to fall out, and keep beating.  Properly beaten, it will be thick and stiff enough that it will not fall out of the bowl when inverted.  It needs to be at this stage.  When it is, spoon onto the outline on the parchment paper.

Bake 1.5 hours.  Then turn off the over but leave it in the oven with the door closed for another hour. Then remove from the oven and let it cool  (not in a drafty area, the recipe warns.  I can't say what will happen if the room is drafty.)

So ...  you might make this meringue a day or two in advance.  The remainder of this recipe needs to be made at least 12 hours before you want to serve the dessert.

Thaw the frozen whipped topping, if you are using that.  Or beat the whipping cream in a chilled bowl.  

Blend together the cream cheese, 2nd amount of sugar and vanilla.  Gently fold in the whipped topping or whipped cream and marshmallows.  Pile it up on the cooked meringue base, making the edges higher to hold the cherry strawberry center.  You will have to eyeball this, but I'd estimate the edges should be about 1 to 1.5 inches higher than the centre.  You can re-arrange it a bit when you are adding the berry mixture until it looks just "right".   Chill for 12 hours.

Before serving:  Combine the pie filling, strawberries, and lemon / orange juice.  Use this mixture to top the meringue and whipped topping heart, arranging the berries in a heart shape.

Super cute!

AND

Strawberry Chiffon Squares

1.5 cups graham wafer crumbs

1/3 cup margarine, melted

1 pkg strawberry jello powder (3 oz)

3/4 cup boiling water

1 can sweetened condensed milk 

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 pkg (1 lb) frozen sliced strawberries (but thaw them before using)

3 cups min marshmallows

1/2 pint whipping cream which you whip before using (or equivalent of a frozen whipped topping)

Combine the crumbs and margarine.  Pat firmly into a 9 x 13 inch pan.  You don't bake it.

Dissolve jelly powder in boiling water.  Stir in sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, strawberries and marshmallows.  Fold in the whipped cream.  pour over crumb crust gently.  Chill in fridge until set, which will take AT LEAST 2 hours.  Cut into squares to serve.  Top the squares with more whipped cream to be even more festive!

That last recipe reminded me that I must share my recipe to make your own sweetened condensed milk; much cheaper than buying the canned version.  That's going to have be to another post though.

Enjoy Valentine's Day.  And if there's no time to make treats for the 14th, these are great desserts any time.