What's cooking, good looking?

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: BRITTANY DU LY
Spoil your friends, family and self with red velvet truffles.

Watch me whip, whip the whisk around the yummy batter. These recipes include gluten-free options as well as a mix of healthy in between all the tasty desserts. Boy is your special somebody in for a delicious treat this Valentine’s Day.

H = Healthy alternative

GF = Gluten free

Glazed flourless chocolate cake

GF

Time: 20 minutes prep, 25 minute cook

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 ounce chopped semisweet chocolate squares

• 4 ounce/1 stick unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 cup cocoa

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate squares

• 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 teaspoon milk or light coconut milk

• 1 1/2 teaspoon agave syrup or honey

• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the pan with cooking spray/ oil the pan to allow easy cake removal. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper.

2. Melt 6 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until blended and smooth.

3. Add sugar and salt and reduce heat to low. Continue to stir.

4. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in eggs individually.

5. Sift coca through mesh hand into mixture. Whisk until smooth.

6. Pour batter into pan and set timer for 25 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the glaze.

1. Melt 2 ounces of chopped chocolate with 1 1/2 teaspoon of unsalted butter.

2. Add milk and agave or honey, and vanilla. Stir until glossy.

3. Let cool for three minutes before pouring it on the cake.

Source: glutenfreecooking.about. com

Red velvet cake truffles

Makes approximately 46 truffles

Ingredients:

• 1 box red velvet cake mix (+ ingredients listed on box)

• 8 ounces/1 package of cream cheese (1/3 less fat)

• 12 ounces/1 package chocolate chips of preference

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cake as instructed on the box. Bake and allow cake to cool completely.

2. Using a fork, break the cake into fine crumbs in a large bowl. Add softened cream cheese and knead gently until texture is blended well.

3. Roll cake balls into desired size (or approximately 1 tablespoon per ball) and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place in fridge to chill.

4. While the cake balls are chilling, heat the chocolate in a heatproof bowl until melted. Remove cake balls from fridge and place one at a time into melted chocolate.

Optional: create simple designs on top of coated cake balls with excess chocolate.

5. Return truffles into fridge for about 15 minutes or until set.

Source: julieseatsandtreats.com

Valentine’s heart macaroons

GF

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Time: 1.5 hours to make

Ingredients:  

Macarons:

• 60 millilitre egg whites (room temperature)

• 65 millilitre sugar

• 75 millilitre almond powder

• 55 millilitre icing sugar

• Vanilla Buttercream:

• 6 cups icing sugar, sifted

• 2 cups butter

• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2-4 tablespoon whipping cream

• Fuchsia colour gel

Instructions:

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place almond powder and icing sugar in a food processor until the mixture begins clumping. Sift well.

3. Whip egg whites to a loose foam consistency. Slowly add sugar while whipping continues to create a stiff meringue. Add in colour.

4. Pour batter into a piping bag with a 2A tip and pipe macarons onto baking sheet.

5. Whack baking sheet on the counter at least three times to get rid of air bubbles.

6. Important: Let macarons dry at room temperature for approximately one hour.

7. Make buttercream while waiting. Begin by whisking butter until creamy, adding in icing sugar slowly until well blended on low speed.

8. Increase speed to medium and beat for three minutes.

9. Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cream, continue beating for one minute. Add more cream as needed until desired consistency.

10. Bake macarons at 300 degrees F until they stick a little bit to the pans, anywhere between 10-20 minutes. Keep watch.

11. Let cookies cool completely before piping buttercream into the center. Sandwich the cookies and press together.

Source: livforcake.com

Raspberry overnight oats

H

Makes one serving

Time: 10 minutes prep, eight hours bake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raspberries

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

• 3 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

• 1 cup oats

• 3/4 cup almond milk

• 1 tablespoons honey/alternative sweetener

Instructions

1. Combine oats, two tablespoons chia seeds, almond milk, one tablespoon sweetener and mix together in a bowl.

2. Place raspberries and coconut oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir about four to five minutes. Add honey/syrup and rest of chia seeds. Stir unless desired consistency and let cool.

3. Alternating between oats and jam mixtures, layer into mason jars. Top off to your heart’s content (i.e. jam and fresh raspberries).

4. Place in fridge for six to eight hours.

Source: borntosweat.com

Strawberry Kabobs

H GF

Ingredients

• Large strawberries

• Grapes or fruits of choice

Instructions

1. Cut strawberries in half and push a small heart shaped cookie cutter to create heart shaped berries.

2. Start with a strawberry and alternate between other fruits and slide onto kabob sticks.

Source: modernparentsmessykids. com