What’s a single girl to do on a day that is dedicated to romance? Spend it alone, devouring an entire box of chocolates and a bottle of red wine, like in an old movie? Or try a more empowering way to enjoy chocolates and wine: get together with several other single females and celebrate Galentine’s Day, which seems to be trending big this year. Just decide on a place, ask each attendee to bring something appropriate to share, sprinkle some rose petals or red confetti on the table, and relax in the camaraderie of like-minded souls.
Simple appetizers like cheese cut into heart-shaped bites, skewered grape tomatoes and creamy dip, make good nibbles with wine or cocktails. When it comes to the essential chocolate, sharing a batch of homemade cookies might be a good choice. After all, some people are fussy about what type of chocolate they like, don’t want the angst of picking a chocolate with an unknown filling or anything that is too rich. But everybody loves a small, irresistible bite of chocolate that is not devastating to the waistline. The trick, of course, is eating just one, especially these cookies, which honor the holiday with heart shapes or true chocolate goodness. So put on a happy dance tape and celebrate with friends!
Chocolate cream-filled hearts
These easy-to-make little sugar cookies just ooze love and comfort with a creamy chocolate filling. Recipe from “Mrs. Fields Cookie Book;” makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for topping
Cream butter in a medium bowl with electric mixer set at medium speed. Add the 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth. Add vanilla extract; mix until creamy. Scrape bowl. Add flour; mix at low speed until thoroughly mixed. Gather dough into 2 balls; flatten to disks. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough on floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 2-inch hearts with heart-shaped cookie cutter. Continue using dough scraps, re-rolling and re-cutting until all dough is used. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet, half inch apart. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until firm. Transfer to cool flat surface with a spatula. To prepare filling, scald the cream in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and cover for 15 minutes. Stir chocolate cream until smooth, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature. Spread a teaspoonful of chocolate filling on the bottom side of half of the cookies. Top with bottom side of another cookie, forming a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream. Sift confectioners’ sugar over finished cookies.
No-bake chocolate granola bars
Can chocolate cookies be healthy? Probably not as far as calories, although good-for-you walnuts and granola can’t be all bad. But emotional health? Save electric bill health? Absolutely! Recipe from “Chocolate on the Brain” by Kevin &Nancy Mills; makes 16 bars.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter + more for greasing pan
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups granola
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, making sure two ends of foil overhang pan a couple inches for easy lifting and removal. Rub bottom and sides of foil with butter; set aside. In a medium, heavy pot combine butter, brown sugar and cocoa. Stir over medium heat about 3 minutes, until butter has melted. Remove pan from heat; stir in granola, chocolate chips, walnuts and vanilla extract. Scrape batter into prepared pan; freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour, until top feels cool and firm. Carefully lift ends of foil to remove granola bars from pan. While still chilled, cut into 16 bars and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator in a closed container.
Raspberry brownie heart
A semisweet brownie, swirled with raspberry jam and baked in a heart-shaped pan, makes a special dessert to share, and each person can take just what they need. Recipe from “The Art of the Cookie” by Jann Johnson; makes one large, impressive, group heart.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 squares (3 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam, preferably with seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a heart-shaped baking pan (with a maximum width and height of about 9 inches) or an 8-inch square baking pan. In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and brown sugar; stir in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Spoon about 4 lines of raspberry jam, using all of it, across pan on top of dough. Starting close to one side of pan, pull a chopstick or narrow spoon handle through the dough, almost touching bottom, perpendicular to lines of raspberry jam. Move chopstick over 1-1/2 inches and pull it the other way. Keep moving chopstick back and forth across pan, spacing lines about an inch apart. Bake in center of oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until set but not browned. Do not over-bake. Let cool completely, then invert pan and remove brownie. Wrap in plastic wrap; store in airtight container until ready to use.
Chocolate meringue drops
These lightest of little bites taste guilt-free and delicious, and are easy to make. Recipe from “Starbuck’s Passion for Coffee” cookbook; makes 1-1 1/2 dozen cookies.
2 extra-large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 generous cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the lower third of oven. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small metal bowl, beat egg whites, adding sugar slowly, until whites are stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold the melted chocolate, vanilla and almond extracts, and chopped nuts into the egg whites. Drop small spoonfuls of batter, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, onto parchment paper. Bake until tops are dry, 12 to 15 minutes; do not overbake. Cool completely on the baking sheets before removing with a spatula.