Valentines Day is the perfect day of the year to give something special to a person you appreciate, and cooking a meal is a fun way of creating romance.
Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Church, and even though that doesn’t mean you can enjoy a public holiday, it’s a great opportunity to break the week up by inviting your Valentine to join you in a meal. It doesn’t matter if you have been married for thirty years, or if it’s a new person in your life, cooking is a great way to spend your Valentines Day together.
Valentines Day first developed in the Middle Ages as a romantic celebration, and has since evolved into a day when lovers express their affection by giving flowers, confectionery, and Valentines cards, sometimes sent anonymously. There’s no better time for preparing an appetising meal for that special person in your life. A meal prepared for someone else has a personal touch that you can’t find in a restaurant, and you can enjoy the meal together in your own candlelit dining room with the sounds of quiet romantic music in the background, creating a memory to last.
Table of contents
How to find the perfect Valentines Day recipe
Top ten classic Valentines Day recipes
Valentines Day recipes for everyone
What you need to cook your meal
How to present your Valentines Day meal
Best retailers to help you cook a Valentines Day meal
Current deals and specials
Why shop at finder.com.au for Valentines Day recipes?
How to find the perfect Valentines Day recipes
You may have to do some research before deciding what you are going to cook for your Valentine. Next time you talk to them you will have to try and find out what their favourite food is. You can ask what sorts of restaurants they would want to go for a birthday or special occasion, and then you can narrow down what ingredients and recipes you can source to prepare a meal they will enjoy. Remember to pick a recipe that shows how good your food skills are, and don’t pick a meal that is too far outside of your cooking-expertise.
Once you have selected the type of meal you are going to prepare you will have to find a recipe that fits. Unless you are already a gourmet cook or have prepared many tasty special meals before, cooking with a recipe is essential. There are many Valentine’s Day recipes available on the internet so you can find the perfect meal to cook for your special someone. Who knows, you might be spending the rest of your life with this person, and so there is no better way to show you care than by preparing that perfect Valentine’s meal.
Valentines Day recipes for everyone
For the sweet tooth
Chocolate pistachio fudge
Ingredients
350 g dark chocolate at least 70 percent cocoa solids, chopped
397 g can of condensed milk
30 g butter
Salt
150 g unsalted pistachios with shells removed
Method
Place the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt into a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until melted and well combined.
Place the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into some large and some small pieces.
Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture and stir well.
Pour the mixture into a 23cm square tray, smoothing the top with a wet palette knife.
Let the fudge cool, then refrigerate until set.
Cut into small pieces approximately 3cm x 2cm(1¼in x ¾in).Cutting 7 x 7 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces best achieves this.
Once cut, the fudge can be kept in the freezer - there's no need to thaw, just eat straight away.
Raspberry red velvet cupcakes
Ingredients
230g caster sugar
205g eggs
30 g butter
12g baking powder
90ml milk
10g vanilla bean paste
20g dutch cocoa powder
½ teaspoon red powdered
food colouring
15g raspberry puree
150g raspberries
Method
Preheat oven to 145ºC / 275ºF / Gas mark 1–2.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on high speed until mixture turns from yellow to off-white. This should be between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on softness of butter.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Do not allow mixture to split. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Sift flour and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, combine milk and vanilla bean paste. Add half the flour mixture, then the dutch cocoa powder and red powdered food colouring. Add half the milk mixture, raspberry puree and raspberries.
Add remaining flour mixture and remaining milk mixture.
Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon mixture into cupcake foils. Bake for 30 minutes, turning tray around after 15 minutes.
Old fashioned chocolate cake
Ingredients
200g plain flour
200g caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
40g best-quality cocoa
175g soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
150ml sour cream
Method
Take everything out of the fridge so that all the ingredients can come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C and line and butter two 20cm sandwich tins with removable bases.
Now all you have to do is put all the cake ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarb, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream – into a food processor and process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture.
Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture.
Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester, or a thin skewer, comes out clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start checking at 25. Also, it might make sense to switch the two cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time.
Remove the cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out of their tins. Don’t worry about any cracks as they will easily be covered by the icing later.
For the vegetarian
Spinach mushroom swiss roll
Ingredients
Melted butter, for greasing
200g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
4 eggs, separated
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g butter
225g Swiss brown, portobello or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
150ml low-fat milk
1/2 cup finely grated mature cheddar
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Grease and line the base of a 23×33cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Put the spinach in a sieve and press to drain the liquid, then scoop into a bowl. Add the egg yolks and nutmeg, season and mix well.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the spinach mixture with a metal spoon. Spoon into the lined tin and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes until firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and fry gently for 5 minutes until tender. Add the flour and cook over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually blend in the milk, stirring after each addition. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until the sauce thickens and is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, mustard and salt and pepper.
Remove the baked spinach mixture from the oven and, working quickly, spread the mushroom sauce evenly over the surface. Roll up from one of the short ends by gently lifting the baking paper. Serve hot, cut into slices.
Vegetable stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
24 large or 12 extra-large mushrooms, stems removed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium red capsicum, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) salt-reduced chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Blanch mushroom caps in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes. Add carrot and capsicum; cook for 4 minutes. Add the stock and oregano; cook for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft. Remove from heat; stir in parmesan and parsley.
Portobello and herb burgers
Ingredients
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oregano
3 teaspoons crushed garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 portobello mushrooms caps
4 slices mozzarella or taleggio cheese (optional)
Method
In a shallow dish, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Place the mushroom caps in the dish and turn to coat with the vinegar mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
Preheat barbecue for medium-high heat.
Place mushrooms on the barbecue, reserving marinade for basting. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with optional cheese during the last 2 minutes of barbecuing.
For kids
Grannies Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter, softened (no substitutes)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
various food coloring
colored sprinkles
Method
In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Stir together dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture until completely blended.
Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut with various shaped cookie cutters dipped in flour.
Transfer cookies to ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Frosting: Mix together sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until desired degree of spreading consistency; add milk if you want thinner frosting.
Add food colouring to obtain desired colour.
Spread frosting over cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
Mac’n Cheese Kids favourite food
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter, softened (no substitutes)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
various food coloring
colored sprinkles
Method
In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Stir together dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture until completely blended.
Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut with various shaped cookie cutters dipped in flour.
Transfer cookies to ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Frosting: Mix together sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until desired degree of spreading consistency; add milk if you want thinner frosting.
Add food coloring to obtain desired color.
Spread frosting over cookies and decorate with sprinkles
What you need to cook your meal
Bidideal - Cordless knife
This is a great utensil for your kitchen as it allows you to cut through large pieces of meat quickly and smoothly.
Kitchenware Superstore - Circulon Steel Elite 5 Piece Cookware Set
This cookware set has everything you need to cook a great Valentines Day meal, and the non-stick coating is a great help to any chef.
Booktopia - Superfoods Cookbook
From beans that boost your brainpower to veggies that help prevent diseases, these nutritional big hitters are beneficial additions to everyone's culinary arsenal.
Macy’s - 6 piece bakeware
A fully-stocked baking set, which includes everything you need to prepare food like a pro. Each aluminised steel piece has a nonstick interior and exterior, plus easy-grip and rolled edges, so every step from beginning to cleanup is easy.
Le Domaine - Laguiole Debutant Cheese Set
Presented in a beautiful wooden box, this is a necessity for any cheese lover. It contains a large cheese cleaver and five double pointed cheese knives and prevents the mixing up of delicate cheese flavours when serving.
Kitchenstyle - Cosmopolitan Dinner Set 16 Pieces
This is a quality porcelain dinner set for four people that offers a timeless way to dine.
How to present your Valentines Day meal
Le Domaine - Alex Liddy Platter
This is a porcelain platter which has a clean, basic design and will suit all types of dining sets and arrangements. Perfect for presenting a signature dish on Valentines Day.
Kush Living - Anderson Tablecloth
This Anderson Range tablecloth features an exotic and classy design which is sure to be the perfect addition to your Valentines Day setting.
Kush Living - Elements Additions Stripe Ribbed Placemats
This napery set is a great statement piece that will suit any elegantly-dressed table. The red colour is perfect for a dinner on the most romantic day of the year.
Kitchen Style - S&P SALUT Martini Glasses
This set of four martini glasses is an elegant option to serve pre-dinner drinks and cocktails, and they are dishwasher-safe making for a hassle-free clean.
TableKing - Azberg Cambridge 12 person 60 pce dinner set
This beautiful floral patterned-dinnerware is a bright option for Valentines Day, and will bring a Summer touch to your dinner.
Kush Living - Scarlett Fused Napery Set
This beautiful set comes with napkins and placemats that feature a bold design. The block colours make it suitable for most home decors.
Best retailers to help you make your Valentines Day recipe
KitchenStyle
KitchenStyle offers a full range of cooking utensils for the chefs of all levels to use. They stock frypans, sauce pans, grill pans, casserole dishes, sauté implements, pressure cookers, rice cookers and roasters, and for the oriental chef, woks are for sale too.
LeDomaine
This online department store sells a complete range of cooking utensils and dinnerware, including appliances such as slow cookers, toasters and pressure cookers as well as saucepan sets from brands Le Creuset, Zyliss and Laguiole.
Table King
This online department store sells a complete range of cooking utensils and dinnerware, including appliances such as slow cookers, toasters and pressure cookers as well as saucepan sets from brands Le Creuset, Zyliss and Laguiole.
Kush Living
Kush Living sells aprons, tea towels and oven gloves as well as tablecloths and napkins. All products are designed for healthy and hygienic cooking and dining.
DealsDirect
This online store sells dinner sets, cook sets and cutlery sets. They offer a great selection to help you cook and prepare for dining on Valentine’s Day.
Current deals and specials
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Summary of what the article is about
Valentine’s Day is all about giving something special to a special someone, and cooking a great meal is a way of celebrating that relationship. This can all be done by selecting the right recipe, using the right cooking utensils and providing that dining environment that unites your most valued relationship.
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