I’m all about quick and easy here on Flurries of Flour, and this recipe for homemade ice cream sandwiches is a quick and easy recipe that gives you a fun, sweet and delightful dessert that belies its simplicity. It makes a perfect special treat for special occasions or holidays like Valentine’s Day, and you the best part is that you can make them any way you want! Just start with the basic recipe and go from there! Plus, you can make these gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo—it’s up to you!…
How To: Chocolate Ganache Two Ways
Still looking at easy-to-make, basic recipes that are perfect for Valentine’s Day! Chocolate ganache is really a perfect addition to a Valentine’s dessert. Like the Valentine’s Day smoothie and the roasted strawberries, it’s chocolaty, it’s simple to make, and comes together quickly!
Chocolate Ganache
Outside of Valentine’s Day, chocolate ganache is a culinary basic that can be used for a large variety of desserts. It can be poured over cake as a type of frosting, combined with whipped cream to make an actual frosting, and as filling for cakes, pies, tartes, cupcakes, and pastries. And, in all honesty, it’s kind of wonderful just to take a big spoonful of it and eat it that way.
Traditionally, chocolate ganache is made with semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use milk chocolate—it will make ganache that is less rich. I’ve even made bittersweet chocolate ganache, but it wasn’t a favorite of my guests or mine. If you love bittersweet chocolate, however, you may love bittersweet chocolate ganache too!
Two Ways to Make Ganache
I’m including two ways to make ganache: the traditional ganache and a dairy-free version based on this recipe from the blog Flavour and Savour. Both follow similar techniques and aren’t really that different. For traditional ganache:
- Warm the liquid in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of about an inch or two of water simmering on very low heat (make sure the top bowl doesn’t touch the water).
- Place the chocolate in a separate bowl.
- Once the liquid is simmering slightly (when small bubbles form around the edges), pour it over the chocolate.
- Let the chocolate sit for a minute, then begin to slowly stir. It will come together into a beautiful silky, smooth mixture.
For dairy-free ganache:
- Place the coconut oil and chocolate in a heat-safe bowl over a pot of water, just as above. Again, make sure the bowl does not touch the water.
- Let the mixture sit for a minute or two as the chocolate begins to melt, then begin to stir, holding the bowl as you do.
- Stir just until the entire thing is smooth, then take off the heat. You can use it then or put it in the fridge to set for a bit before you use it.
The ingredients:
Traditional Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 C. heavy cream
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache:
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp. hazelnut chocolate almond creamer or other dairy-free milk (optional)
- ¾ C. semi-sweet non-dairy chocolate chips
I hope your Valentine’s Day is wonderful, no matter how you celebrate!
‘Till next time!
Roasted Strawberries
I’m all about Valentine’s Day this week, and so are my recipes! This recipe for roasted strawberries is perfect for almost any Valentine’s Day dessert, plus, it’s really easy to make. It’s sweet, tart, warm, and fragrant with a sticky, molten syrup. Roasted strawberries are an incredible topping for ice cream, cake, chocolate lava cake, zabaglione, mashed in a cupcake and topped with icing—it’s really up to your creativity.
And if you’re making a meal for Valentine’s Day, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it type of dessert. Once all the ingredients are made, just stick it in the oven. It will be done by the time you finish dinner and ready to be spooned whatever you choose. Plus, the sweet, bright, slightly tart smell will fill your kitchen with such a perfume!
The Ingredients
The first ingredient is strawberries. This time, I used frozen strawberries. The strawberries at the store didn’t look very good and were expensive. Frozen strawberries are a good alternative because they’re usually picked at the height of the season and frozen immediately, preserving taste and quality (promise I’m not on the strawberry marketing board). The only thing is, frozen strawberries can be a bit tart and so the recipe requires some sugar. If the strawberries are sweet enough, you may not need any.
I also use balsamic vinegar. After reduction, it turns sweet but retains a bit of the acidic bite that plays nicely against the strawberries and sugar.
- ½ bag of frozen strawberries or a pint of fresh strawberries
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ to 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. sugar, if using frozen strawberries
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Toss the strawberries together with the balsamic vinegar, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar.
- Place the strawberries onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and place into the oven.
- Roast the strawberries for 35 to 45 minutes, or until soft and dark with molten juice.
- Take the strawberries out of the oven and let rest for five minutes. Serve immediately or place, covered, in the fridge to reserve for later.
I have one more blog ready to go this week. I suppose I’m making up for the past two months (or trying to, anyway!).
I hope your week is going well so far. ‘Till next time!
Sweet Valentine’s Smoothie
I always forget how much I like Valentine’s Day until we get to February. I have to admit that I enjoy it a lot more now that I actually have a valentine, but I’ve always liked it (plus all the corny movies that come along with it…). What can I say? I’m a huge romantic.
This breakfast Valentine’s Smoothie is sweet, chocolaty, and a beautiful way to treat either your Valentine or yourself on Valentine’s Day morning. Plus, it’s actually decently healthy, especially if you choose to add greens to it!
The Smoothie
A few notes about the ingredients for this breakfast smoothie. The greens: I usually use spinach because it’s the mildest green and full of great stuff (I know, very descriptive). I also use frozen strawberries and frozen raspberries because it helps keep the drink frosty like a smoothie is supposed to be. Also, cacao vs. cocoa powder—either is completely fine. The only difference is that cacao adds additional benefits, which you can read about in the homemade hot chocolate blog. And, if you haven’t had it before, kefir is a Middle Eastern yogurt drink. It comes in many flavors and you can find it at most stores, now.
- 1 medium banana
- ½ C. frozen strawberries
- ¼ C. frozen raspberries
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ - 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. cacao or cocoa powder
- ¼ C. strawberry kefir
- ¼ C. chocolate milk or almond milk (optional)
- ¼ cup of spinach (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips (optional)
- Place all ingredients together in your blender of choice.
- Blend, pour into a cup, and enjoy!
So put on those cheesy movies, sit back, and sip as you celebrate! And have fun with whatever other plans you have, if you have any. It’s our tradition to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and have a Die Hard marathon.
Do you have any Valentine’s traditions? What’s your favorite way to spend Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments below!
‘Till next time!