Whether you're planning a Valentine's meal at home, or looking for menu inspiration, these ideas won't break the bank!
Serve a stunning dessert to round off the Valentine's meal, and warm the hearts of your guests. They're all super quick and easy to prepare, and some are even pimping up pre-made desserts for convenience.
Walnut Affogato
Add a spin on this Italian dessert with the use of walnuts. This recipe makes four individual desserts and is a perfect small treat with a caffeine kick after a big meal.
Melt 50g of dark chocolate and 20g of unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water
Once melted, add a pinch of sea salt and remove from the heat
Roughly chop or crumble 50g of walnuts
Take a scoop of vanilla ice cream per bowl/cup and scatter over the crumbled walnuts
Just before serving, pour over an espresso shot of hot Royal Roast coffee per cup
Decorate with a whole walnut and drizzle over the melted chocolate
Pimped up Cheesecake
Our gluten-free cheesecake portions are thick, super-creamy and luxurious - however you can make them even better with the addition of some simple toppings.
Serve the slice on a plate with a drizzle of decadent chocolate sauce, and some crushed Oreos for the chocolate lovers. For those that prefer a fruitier taste, simply pull together a compote using strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or even peaches!
Panna Cotta
Silky smooth panna cotta is the perfect way to end a meal and can be customised with lots of different flavours, including fruity berries, strong coffee or luxurious chocolate.
To make the panna cotta, simply:
Soak two and a half gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for five minutes
In a saucepan, pour 150ml of milk and 400ml of double cream, along with 60g of caster sugar and the seeds of one vanilla pod
Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat
Remove the gelatine from the cold water, and squeeze out the excess water
Add the gelatine to the milk saucepan and stir until it has completely dissolved
Pour the mixture into four of your chosen serving dishes/ramekins or glasses, and place in the fridge to set (around a couple of hours)
Why not serve with a super-strong coffee syrup?
Simmer 100ml of freshly brewed Royal Roast coffee with 100g of caster sugar until dissolved and thickened
Stir in one tablespoon of Kahlua coffee liqueur and leave aside to cool
Just before serving the panna cotta, pour some of the syrup over the top and enjoy!
Or, how about a hazelnut praline and chocolate ganache?
To a heatproof bowl, add 100g of finely chopped dark chocolate
Pour 80ml of single cream into a small saucepan, and bring just to a boil over medium heat
Add the heated cream to the bowl of chocolate, and stir until the chocolate melts and becomes smooth and glossy, then set aside
Place 75g of roasted hazelnuts onto a small baking tray that has been lined with baking/greaseproof paper
In a small saucepan over a low heat, add 220g of caster sugar, along with two tablespoons of water
Swirl the pan until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and cook for 6-8 minutes until it turns to a deep golden brown colour
Pour the sugar mixture over the hazelnuts and leave to cool completely
Once cooled, break the praline up using a wooden spoon (it's great to have a variety of larger and smaller bits to scatter over the panna cotta). Alternatively, pop the praline into a food processor and whizz together to break it down
When the dessert is ready to serve, spoon over the chocolate sauce and a good sprinkling of praline - enjoy!
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