Valentine's Day Sweets to Make at Home

Here's two delicious recipes from Mary and David Supley Foxworth of MallowDrama Inc.

Mini Chocolate and Coconut Trifles
recipe from Mary and David Supley Foxworth, MallowDrama Inc.
yields 4 6-ounce individual desserts

Trifle is best prepared ahead, so it’s a wonderful option for dinner parties, whether there will be many guests or just two for an intimate night. You can also have it chilling while you’re out to dinner and then return home to dig in to this luscious dessert.

Serving trifle in individual portions adds a bit of elegance to this easy-to-prepare treat. We’ve made this in 6-ounce beer glasses or, for a smaller treat, use 2-ounce shot glasses. It’s nice if the vessel is clear so you can see the pretty layers.

This recipe is very flexible and allows you to use what you have on hand. If chocolate is not your cup of tea, try it instead with citrus and nuts (see below). Or, if you’re not up to baking a cake, purchase a pound cake, angel food cake, or lady fingers to use instead.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shredded coconut (chopped banana can be substituted, or chopped peanuts or pretzels)

4 1/2 ounces milk chocolate

7/8 cup heavy cream, divided

4 each chocolate cupcakes (or 1 6-inch chocolate cake)

Procedure

Place coconut in a pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until coconut just begins to take on a golden color. Transfer coconut to a bowl and let cool.

Finely chop chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream to small saucepot. Bring it just to a boil over medium heat and then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let sit about 2-3 minutes. Gently stir the chocolate and cream until combined and smooth. Let cool in the refrigerator about 10 minutes.

Using an electric mixer or whisk, whip remaining cream in another bowl to stiff peaks. Mix a spoonful of whipped cream to the cooled chocolate mixture. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the bowl of whipped cream.

Roughly chop or tear the chocolate cupcakes or cake into quarter- or half-inch cubes. (You will need to make smaller cake pieces if you are using smaller glasses.)

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of chocolate cream into the bottom of each of 4 glasses. (When portioning the cream, keep in mind that you will need to make a total of 3 or 4 layers of chocolate cream.) Fold a dish towel on your counter and gently tap the glass on it to even out the chocolate cream. On top of the cream, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of toasted coconut. Tilt and rotate the glass to get an even layer. Add a layer of cake pieces. Repeat this layering of chocolate cream, coconut, and cake. If you have enough room in your glass, repeat the layering again. Spoon on a final layer of chocolate cream and smooth it out. Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of toasted coconut.

Chill assembled dessert for at least 1 hour. If storing longer (up to 2 days), cover the top with plastic wrap.

Mini Citrus Trifles

recipe from Mary and David Supley Foxworth, MallowDrama Inc.
yields 4 6-ounce individual desserts

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup lemon curd

4 each orange zest cupcakes (or 1 6-inch cake; lemon or vanilla cake can be substituted)

1/2 cup sliced almonds (chopped hazelnuts or pistachios can be substituted)

Procedure

Using an electric mixer or whisk, whip cream in a bowl to stiff peaks. Add about half of the lemon cream and combine using the mixer or whisk. Add remaining lemon curd and whip until combined. Let chill about 20-30 minutes in refrigerator.

Roughly chop or tear the cake into quarter- or half-inch cubes. (You will need to make smaller cake pieces if you are using smaller glasses.)

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of lemon cream into the bottom of each of 4 glasses. (When portioning the cream, keep in mind that you will need to make a total of 3 or 4 layers of lemon cream.) Fold a dish towel on your counter and gently tap the glass on it to even out the lemon cream. On top of the cream, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of toasted almonds. Tilt and rotate the glass to get an even layer. Add a layer of cake pieces. Repeat this layering of lemon cream, almonds, and cake. If you have enough room in your glass, repeat the layering again. Spoon on a final layer of lemon cream and smooth it out. Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of toasted almonds.

Chill assembled dessert for at least 1 hour. If storing longer (up to 2 days), cover the top with plastic wrap.