From Cocktails to Cake Balls: Lovely Valentine's Day Recipes

February 2, 2012 by: KRISTIN WONG

Let’s face it, Valentine’s Day is a holiday manufactured by corporations so they can sell their junk and make money off of us.

Let’s face it again. If your boyfriend doesn’t get you anything, you’re going to be pissed.

Valentine’s Day, as cheesy as it may be, can be a fun holiday for single and taken people alike. If you know how to do it right, that is.

This year, maybe you’re planning to throw a Valentine’s Day party. You’re going to need food for everyone and extra drinks for the single people. Because when you’re single, there’s nothing worse than an entire day dedicated to those annoying lovey-dovey couples. So prepare for your own lovefest with these delicious Valentine’s Day themed recipes, shmoopy!

Love Machine: This cocktail consists of CASCAL fermented soda in Ripe Rouge. The soda has hints of cherry, chocolate and rose, making it the ideal Valentine’s day mixer.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 oz vodka

3 fresh strawberries or 1 oz of strawberry liqueur

2 oz CASCAL Ripe Rouge

Garnish with strawberry

Muddle strawberries with a dash of strawberry liqueur in the bottom of mixing glass. Add vodka and ice and shake hard. Pour in the CASCAL, stir lightly and then strain into a cocktail glass.

Illy Issimo With Love: Speaking of love, who doesn’t love Illy coffee?

Ingredients:

Red dyed sugar

1 can Illy issimo Caffe

1 1/2 oz vodka

1 oz Kahlua Coffee Flavored Liqueur

Whipped Cream/Cherries for garnish

1 Tbs Cocoa Powder

Sifter

Shaker

Dip edges of martini glass in water, coating evenly on each side. Place red sugar onto plate and dip the rim of the glass into the sugar mixture to coat. Let glass dry, then mix all liquid ingredients in shaker with ice. Strain contents into sugared martini glass. Add cocoa powder to sifter and hold over glass, sift lightly on top.

Valentine’s Day Cake Balls: The best part is, these are made with Illy Issimo Mochaccino. Delicious AND caffeinated!

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix + necessary ingredients (eggs/oil)

1 can illy issimo Mochaccino

1 can cream cheese icing

1 bag white chocolate chips

1 bag dark chocolate chips

Sprinkles for decorating

Red food coloring for white chocolate

Bake cake as directed, substituting can of Mochaccino plus 1/4 c milk for water. Crumble the cake into bowl while still warm, add cream cheese icing and stir until fully mixed. Roll the dough into balls and place on parchment paper, freeze for 1–2 hours.

Remove the dough, then begin melting chocolate. Melt chocolate for 45 seconds to 1 minute, being very careful to not over heat chocolate as it will lose consistency. Using candy sticks or fork, dip each ball into chocolate and place back onto parchment.

Repeat, adding sprinkles/decorations as you go.