Dessertless Romantic!

I desperately want to make some sort of special dessert for my boyfriend for Valentine's Day (especially since i got a new kitchen aid mixer for Christmas) but, i have not clue as to make i should make!! I don't have much baking experience at all. I love cooking but I'm more of a toss things together, than a be precise and measure type of girl. But I am willing to try just about anything. We both like pretty much anything as far as sweets but we especially love lemon desserts and cheesecake. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

That sounds good but i was thinking maybe something a little more fancy . Maybe I could think of a way to dress this one up because it does sound very yummy!!! Thanks!!!!!

Ryanne, lord knows I'm not much of a baker, but I do love my blueberries! AND blueberries are $0.98 FOR 6 oz. this week at Fresh Market. Big beautiful ones. I posted my recipe for raw blueberry pie earlier this summer http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/hotbytes/search.php And then there are always clafoutis, which even I can make. This i one of my favorite recipes: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1780060372

Oh, I see you wanted a recipe for Valentine' s Day. You can make a raspberry clafouti just a easily.

Here's one of my all time fave recipes. It's Ina Garten's Yogurt Lemon cake. It's easy, and to DIE for delicious. You can also substitute orange/tangerine juice for the lemon, and it turns out just as delicious. You can dress it up with a little dollop of whipped cream, and a little mint, and it's beautiful!


Ingredients


* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
* 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
* 3 extra-large eggs
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:


* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

My favorite Valentine dessert is Coeur A La Creme which is French for "heart with cream". I serve it with a raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries. It is very easy and very pretty. You do have to have a special heart shaped mold with holes in the bottom. I have a low(ish) fat version from Cooking Light that is good and I'm sure there are plenty on the internet. I'll be happy to share, if you are interested.

Flourless chocolate cake? add a little ancho chile powder to it, for a little Valentine spice!

If you are cheesecake lovers, cheesecake is not difficult with a stand-mixer and a 9" springform pan. I have several recipes that do not require a water-bath for cooking ( which makes it a bit more complicated.): citrus curd topped cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake and a wondeful plain sour cream topped cheesecake .If one sounds good, let me know and I'll send the recipe.

Deb

Dessert and KitchenAid mixer = marshmallows. You'll have to trust me on the resulting deliciousness--it is as unlike bagged, grocery-store "marshmallows" as is Cool Whip to whipped cream. Add flavors as you see fit. Dust the cut edges with coconut, nuts, spices, etc. Just remember to allow time for them to set.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... index.html

PS All of the default marshmallow classics become indescribeably decadent when prepared using the homemade version.

This doesn't involve using the Kitchen Aid, but can be fun for Valentine's, as they are bite sized and you can feed each other: Buy the frozen phyllo cups (all you have to do is thaw), a jar of good quality lemon curd (always look for a brand that is a nice yellow color) (or, make it yourself, which is pretty easy, but I was going for quick and easy), fresh berries (blue, rasp, straw, black, or combo), apple jelly, melted. Put a dollop of curd in the thawed phyllo cup, top with berries, brush with melted jelly, decorate with fresh mint, lavender or herb leaves and Voila'. Bite sized yumminess. You could also use lime or orange curd, but I like the lemon. I have also mixed cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk and used that in the cups as a "no bake cheesecake" base. You can top that with anything from fruit to choclate, caramel, nuts, etc.
On another note, you could make tiramisu in individual cups. OH! If you don't have it, go buy it, because I think anyone trying to cook anything, should have The Silver Palate cookbook. I can't think of the name of the cake, but it's in the chocolate section and has like 14oz very dark chocolate, 12 eggs, 1cup flour, 1cup sugar and not much else. I bake it in a springform and it is scrumptious, not to mention dense and rich. It's good with a thin glaze of liquid ganache poured over it or simply with a shake of confectioner's sugar or whipped cream (fresh, maybe with cinnamon). Hope these help! Carolyne

Yeah, you said romantic so of course I thought an assortment of fresh fruit that you feed to him one bite at a time while he's blindfolded.
(And please, no comments from the rest of you that have had my cooking about being blindfolded as the BEST way to eat anything I cook. Thank goodness my ex doesn't visit this site.)

Yeah, you said romantic so of course I thought an assortment of fresh fruit that you feed to him one bite at a time while he's blindfolded.
(And please, no comments from the rest of you that have had my cooking about being blindfolded as the BEST way to eat anything I cook. Thank goodness my ex doesn't visit this site.)

I agree to this, but I would add chocolate...as in fondue. Bring 8 oz. of heavy cream just to the boil. Mix in 12 oz of chopped chocolate (get the good stuff) and put it in a fondue pot or mini crockpot. I would add any number of embellishments...I like Grand Marnier or espresso powder. You could make some homemade marshmallows or pound cake for dunking along with the fruit. Sounds fun and romantic to me!

Personally, for a romantic dinner, I've learned to make something that is totally finished ahead of time. That way, if you get er....."distracted" for a while, your dessert is ready the minute you are and you don't have to worry about reheating/ runny whipping cream/etc.

Deb

I am loving all these ideas!!! thankfully i have a few weeks to decide because they all sound so good. so far i think fondue sounds good and also the blindfold could be fun! hehe.

I am loving all these ideas!!! thankfully i have a few weeks to decide because they all sound so good. so far i think fondue sounds good and also the blindfold could be fun! hehe.

Make the Marshmallows.