With lockdown 3.0 still in full swing, the kitchen is to be this year’s Valentine’s Day date night hotspot. Although spending Valentine’s Day at home this year may not be your ideal romantic evening, the home holds plenty of opportunities to keep things comforting and cosy.
Sweeten things up this Valentine’s Day with these 3 divine vegan Valentines Day desserts. These recipes are indulgent, whilst still providing fruit-based fibre, a source of protein, and an abundant mineral profile from all of the cacao!
1. Brownie and Raspberry Sandwiches!
The only way to elevate the brownie game, is to double them. With a focus on the classic flavours of romance—berries and chocolate— these brownie and raspberry sandwiches serve as the perfect Valentines Day dessert.
Ingredients:
(For the brownies)
- 140g dairy-free dark chocolate
- 170g self-raising flour
- 3 heaped teaspoons cacao powder
- 160g coconut sugar
- Sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- 200ml canned coconut milk
- 100g dark chocolate chips
- 50g Cacao nibs (optional)
(For the jam)
- Either use store bought raspberry jam or:
- 400g fresh Raspberries
- 350g Granulated sugar
- 2.5 tbsp lemon juice
(For the cream)
- 125g vegan butter
- 300g Icing sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Splash of oat or coconut milk
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180C gas mark 4.
- Grease and line a 20 x 20cm baking tray and leave to one side.
- Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place in a heat proof bowl.
- Sit the bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensure that the water is not touching the bowl.)
- Stir the chocolate until it is melted and then leave to one side. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour and cacao powder. Stir in the coconut sugar, salt and vanilla essence.
- Slowly add in the melted chocolate, melted coconut oil and coconut milk. Stir until well combined.
- Add the dark chocolate chips and a pinch of salt.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until crisp on the outside but gooey in the middle.
- Meanwhile make the filling.
- Put the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice into a pan. Place over a low heat until all sugar crystals have dissolved - stirring occasionally. Bring the pan to the boil and time for 8 minutes. Leave to one side to cool.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a tiny amount of oat milk.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and completely leave to cool.
- Slice into chunky squares then spread a brownie slice with a layer of buttercream, then the jam and then another brownie to complete the sandwich. Enjoy!
2. Caring Cookie Dough Skillet
With all of the love that you will be sharing, why not refuel with a beautifully baked cookie dough skillet?
Ingredients:
- 100g Vegan Butter
- 150g Brown Sugar
- 100ml Oat Milk
- 135g Oat Flour ( @myproteinuk Oats blended)
- 30g @MyVegan Vanilla Soy Isolate Protein Powder (or substitute for extra oat flour)
- 1 ½ tsp of Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Fine Salt
- 120g chocolate chips
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients to form a dough.
2. Place on an oven proof frying pan or skillet and bake for 25 minutes at 180° until golden brown!
3. Serve warm with ice-cream and melted biscoff spread.
3. Vegan Chocolate Mousse
The creamy dessert of dreams. It cannot get any more romantic than this melt-in-your-mouth mousse.
Ingredients:
- 300g Medjool Dates
- 45g Cacao Powder
- 200ml Coconut Milk (tin)
- 40g Vegan Dark Chocolate
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)
- Pinch of Salt
To Decorate
- Pecans (chopped)
- Extra Vegan Dark Chocolate (chopped)
- Strawberries (chopped)
Method:
- Leave the coconut milk in the fridge overnight.
- Pit the dates and soak them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes, this will soften them making them easier to blend.
- Add the dates to a food processor along with the cacao powder and salt, then blitz until all combined.
- Add the coconut milk by scooping out the hardened cream that has separated and is sitting at the top of the tin, and blitz again.
- Melt the chocolate in a heat proof dish over a pan of boiling water, then add the melted coconut oil and mix until combined. Pour this chocolate mixture into the food processor and blitz again, until the mousse is smooth.
- Spoon the mousse into ramekins and allow them to set in the fridge for a least 3 hours or you can leave them overnight.
- Once ready to serve; sprinkle some chopped pecans, extra chocolate and a side of strawberries & Enjoy!
Overall…
Indulge this Valentines Day, with love, joy, and of course, dessert.
Love can be showed in the simplest of ways, whilst being all the more powerful. Get creative this Valentine’s Day, and find ways to ignite romance with what you have available.
P.S. We recommend the oven and a mixing bowl.