Lovely Pink Treats

Valentines is not my favorite holiday, but it is pretty far up on the list, and no that isn't due to anything romantic. Not that I don't love doing something special with my husband, but for romance it's the unplanned things that I prefer.

The true reason I love Valentines day is that it's the perfect time to embrace your inner princess and make everything pink and sweet. And the day after is even better, when you can buy things sweet and pink so cheaply. One of the things I really enjoy doing if making the day special with good things to eat. Last year was breakfast for dinner with (sorta) heart shaped pancakes. While I've yet to decide what sort of pink/sweet/heart shaped culinary adventure I'll be trying this year, I've come across a few things that had me squealing in joy. They seemed perfect for lolita gatherings, so I wanted to share them while it may not be too late for them to be of use in planning.

There will never be any argument from me that the macaron is the world's cutest cookie. The trouble is that they are hard to find in most places and just as hard to make. And if you bypass those difficulties and order them online, you may finding yourself paying quite a bit for your treats. Meringues offer a nearly as adorable alternative that has just as many flavor options and are far easier to create at home. What's more, they require only a few ingredients - egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and any flavoring or coloring you wish to add. For that extra special event, they can even be topped with sprinkles or made into adorable swirly sandwiches.

Filled Strawberries. These are super easy and require only a no bake cheesecake mix and fresh berries. Simply cut the berries and fill with the cheese cake mix. Then you're free to drizzle with chocolate or dust with cookie crumbs depending on your taste. Or for a simpler berry treat, place chocolate chips into raspberries.

Photo from Bakingdom, home of many many cute recipes

I've only just today stumbled across the idea of strawberry hot chocolate, and I have to say that I'll in love with the idea. There are a ton of recipes for this treat using everything from ice cream to jam to fresh berries. The easiest I've seen uses strawberry milk mix and white chocolate chips, though I imagine the difference is similar to instant cocoa and home made hot chocolate. Needless to say, I'm making a trip to the store this afternoon to try making a version of my own.

If you're planning a tea party, you may want to think about a classic scone. I've recently tried my hand at these and they've turned out to be easy enough to make. For a sweet Valentine's theme you may want chocolate, strawberry or a mix of the two. Many cook books and websites have scone recipes available so finding one that suits you is relatively easy. I recommend the book Alice's Tea Cup for those trying scone making for the first time as the instructions are easy to understand and the flavors are very fun and unique. Make them fresh the night or morning before your event, however, as they are so much better just after being baked.