11 Valentine's Day Treats You Can Bake For Your Partner (Even If You Have No Baking Experience)
Simple but show-stopping dessert recipes you can bake to wow your Valentine
By Terri Kue -
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. That means many of us are looking for presents and snacks to give to our partners. If you are want to give them an inexpensive but heartfelt gift, then how about a handmade baked treat?
We have dug through our recipe collection to bring you the best 11 desserts you can make for your boo. Whether you're a first-time baker or a seasoned one looking for recipes to outdo yourself, this list has it.
You can't go wrong with heart-shaped macaroons for Valentine's Day. These include cherry jam filling for extra sweetness. If you don't have a heart-shaped cutter, just freehand it! You can even customise each macaron into different shapes and sizes.
It's your present to your partner, so you can make it as unique as your relationship.
(Pst, if you want to propose this Valentine's day, how about placing the ring in the middle of the heart inside the filling? Just make sure they don't eat it.)
Get the recipe here.
Even if you cannot bake, you can whip up this quick and fuss-free ice cream and cookie sandwich! There are super simple to make - you can even cheat and use shop-bought cookies.
You are free to use any ice cream you'd like, but we think vanilla or chocolate flavours make for great pairings with the peanut butter.
If you are normally a late riser, you can prepare this the afternoon or night before and store it in the freezer so that future you can sleep soundly.
Get the recipe here.
Take it up a notch this Valentine's day with this Arabic-style yoghurt-based cheesecake topped with red and orange fruits. With a creamy centre surrounded by a delicious buttery biscuit that gives the treat texture, this cake is nothing less than a delight.
You will need to set aside ample time to make this dessert and strain your yoghurt 24 hours before you actually get to baking. You will also have to refrigerate everything for six hours before you serve it. But trust us: it will all be worth it in the end.
Get the recipe here.
These rich chocolate brownies are easy to make, but they taste naturally sweet and rich because they are made with chopped dried figs. To make these easy chocolate brownies even more luxurious, they are drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with grated chocolate.
Serve with Butterscotch ice cream, vanilla bean, or chocolate ice cream.
Get the recipe here.
These apple tarts look beautiful and taste just as good. They're not that hard to make because you use apple slices to create dynamic flower petals. Surrounded by buttery pastry that melts in your mouth, you can layer it with any shop-bought jam and top it off with icing sugar.
The recipe includes instructions for cinnamon mascarpone to enjoy with the tart. But it's just as good with ice cream or yoghurt if that's what you prefer.
Get the recipe here.
This recipe is so simple - and it looks spectacular. Jam drop cookies are an all-time favourite for everyone. With a delicious centre of plum or strawberry jam, this cookie melts in your mouth. The recipe also teaches you how to make the jam itself, so you will truly be making everything from scratch. If you are a beginner baker, you can cheat and use shop-bought jam - we won't tell!
Get the recipe here.
Spices in baking create a wonderful mesh of flavours, and this cardamom tart combines with apple for a unique dessert. With apples shaped into delicate flowers and topped with fresh cream, this is a crowd-pleaser.
If you're a beginner baker, you can use frozen puff pastry sheets from the supermarket (in the freezer section). Using frozen Roti Prata for the base also works!
If you cannot find vanilla bean paste, you can opt to use vanilla beans itself or vanilla extract. Just note that the taste will not be as strong!
Get the recipe here.
Originally from France, Madeleines are little sponge cakes with a nice buttery taste. They're often served with tea or coffee, as a snack.
These Madeleines are extra special because they're flavoured with orange zest and orange flower water.
If you can't find orange flower water for the icing, you can opt for orange essence or mix some water with even more orange zest! Make sure to taste along the way to get your desired flavour.
Madeleines are traditionally made in a special shell-shaped mould, but you can also use a muffin tin.
Get the recipe here.
If your significant other likes pancakes and muffins, how about something in between? A crumpet is a cross between the two breakfast foods and we have turned them into a dessert with berry compote. Top it up with a whole bunch of fruits such as strawberries, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, and any other fruits you want!
You can make the compote or jam the day before and store it in the fridge so you have less work to do in the morning.
Get the recipe here.
For a delicious gluten free cake that is also free of refined sugar, try this recipe . Wow your partner with your presentation skills as you serve them a cake filled with yoghurt, nuts, and mixed berries. Maple syrup adds a smoky sweetness, while almond flour adds texture that's similar to Singapore's famous Sugee cake.
Get the recipe here.
Good ol' chocolate cookies get even better here. This recipe is egg-free, and you can also swap ingredients to make this recipe vegan or gluten-free.
Nigella recommends using brown sugar to make these cookies because it gives a deep, toffee-like flavour to your dessert.
Right after baking, the cookies may seem undercooked. However, just rest them for five minutes on the rack, and they firm up. You can eat them after 10 minutes of cooling - and while you may not want to, eating them before 10 minutes may make the cookies difficult to hold.
Get the recipe here.