Valentine’s Day Desserts

With Valentine’s day right around the corner, everyone is getting ready to surprise their crush with a sweet treat. If that’s you, look no further than these super easy and cute desserts! Whether you choose to make the Strawberry Bouquet or Dragonfruit Jelly Cake, they’ll definitely fall in love with you after receiving it!

Strawberry Bouquet

Difficulty: Medium • 1 Bouquet • Total Time: 2 Hours

Ingredients:

• 3 qts fresh strawberries
• 2 cups white coating chocolate, melted
• ½ cup vibrant pink coating chocolate, melted
• ½ cup pastel pink coating chocolate, melted
• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp gold luster dust
• Other materials: baking soda, white vinegar, and 12” bamboo skewers, (2) 6” flower foam rounds, baby’s breath (optional), white tissue paper, bouquet paper and ribbon of choice, 14” zip ties

Directions:

1. Wash off the dirt and grime from all the strawberries with baking soda and vinegar. Allow bubbles to settle. Drain out vinegar solution, then rinse strawberries with water. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
2. Skewer 2 qts of strawberries through the stem. Keep 1 qt without skewers.
3. For swirled chocolate dipped strawberries: place white coating chocolate in a glass or ramekin that’s about 4” tall and 3” wide. Transfer vibrant and pastel pink coating chocolates to individual piping bags. Drizzle pink chocolate over white chocolate in a criss cross pattern. Dunk strawberry with skewer into chocolate until it reaches the stem. Then as you lift up, twist the skewer in one direction to create a swirl. Stick the strawberry onto a utensil holder with holes (or foam works too). Repeat with one full quart of strawberries. Allow chocolate to set completely.
4. For strawberry tanghulu: Combine water, sugar, and luster dust in a small sauce pot. Cook until sugar syrup reaches 300F. Turn off the stove, and allow bubbles to settle. Dip strawberries into the sugar, swirl to coat, and allow them to cool and set completely. Repeat with remaining one quart of skewered strawberries
5. For strawberry roses: take strawberries and use a paring knife to slice petals into the side of the strawberry. After creating a rose shape, skewer the strawberry. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
6. To assemble the bouquet: stick strawberries into flower foam, alternating between the 3 different kinds. Fill in spaces with baby’s breath flowers (if using). Surround bouquet with scrunched up sheets of white tissue paper. Secure them in place with zip ties; trim off extra. Wrap the whole thing with nice bouquet paper. Secure once again with zip ties. Hide the zip tie with a wide ribbon, and tie a bow at the end. Optional: string in some fairy lights for an extra magical romantic touch!

Dragonfruit Jelly Cake

Difficulty: Medium • 8 S ervings • Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake and Balls

• 80 g graham cookies
  
• 10 g sugar
  
• 40 g unsalted butter
  
• 250g Cream cheese (room temperature)
  
• 65 g unsweetened yogurt
  
• 50 g sugar
  
• 10 g of lemon juice
  
• 10 g powdered gelatin
  
• 50 g water
  
• 250 g heavy cream (60% whipped) 
• 3 Dragon Fruit
• 3 Red Dragon Fruit
• Melon Baller
• Cheesecake Pan
• Acetate Sheet
• Round Ice Molds

For the Transparent Jelly

• 1/4 cup powdered gelatin
  
• 160 g water
  
• 320 g hot water
  
• 20g Lemon juice
  
• 105 g sugar

Directions:

1. Measure and cut your acetate sheet to fit perfectly inside the cheesecake pan. Tape it to ensure easy handling and then remove it and keep it aside.
2. In a large bowl, crush your graham crackers finely. Mix it together with your sugar. Then melt your 40g unsalted butter and mix it into your graham cracker mixture evenly. Pour it out into your cheesecake pan and pan down firmly to get a consistent base. 
3. Slice your dragon fruit in half. Using your melon baller, scoop out several balls and store them in the fridge. Take your left-over red dragon fruit and keep it aside!
4. In a separate large bowl, using a spatula to soften it add your granulated sugar and mix together well, making sure you see no more chunks of sugar. Once smooth add your vanilla extract and lemon juice and unsweetened yogurt.
5. Bloom your 10 grams of gelatin in the 50 grams of water. Then microwave it in small bursts to dissolve it into a liquid form. Take a scoop of your cheesecake mixture and whisk it into your gelatin. Then add that back to the full cheesecake mixture and whisk together well.
6. Add in your 60% whipped cream half of it at a time and whisk together.
7. Pour ¼ of your mixture into an iced-circle mold, ensuring that they are full! Store in the freezer.
8. Pour ¼ of your mixture into another bowl. Strain the left-overs of your red dragon fruit into it, you’ll only need a little bit, and mix together to form a gorgeous pink cheesecake mixture. Pour this into an iced-circle mold and store in the freezer.
9. Place your acetate cylinder over your graham cracker base but inside the cheesecake pan, ensuring that it is snuggly on top of it. Pour the remaining half of your cheesecake mixture inside the acetate and let it settle evenly before letting it set in the fridge.
10. Bloom your ¼ cup of gelatin in your 160 grams of water (+-15 minutes). Then pour your 320 grams of hot water over it and stir until completely dissolved. Add your 20 grams of Lemon Juice and 105 grams of sugar until dissolved. Keep aside and let it cool at room temperature.
11. Unmold your cheesecake balls.
12. Remove your cheesecake, keeping the acetate sheet still on.
13. Place a few balls decoratively on top of the cheesecake (be sparce, you’re going to want to show this off!)
14. Pour some of your Transparent Jelly onto your cheesecake, until the jelly comes up to halfway up your balls. Place immediately into the fridge for NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES!
15. Remove it and you should be able to place a ball on top of the jelly, suspending it above the cheesecake. Repeat this until you are out of your Transparent Jelly mixture.
16. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
17. Remove the cheesecake pan and the acetate sheet carefully, using a pair of scissors if you need to. 
18. Enjoy your amazing suspended Dragonfruit Jelly Cake!