Mug cake recipe

My sisters and I have a fun tradition of making mug cakes, especially when it's cold and snowy outside. We love gathering in our cozy sunroom, which has heated floors, and enjoying them together. Our favorite flavor is chocolate chip, but we also like trying out different variations, for example birthday cake. Mug cakes are exactly what they are named, a small cake in a mug, and we've found that slightly undercooking them makes them extra soft and delicious. It's these simple moments of togetherness and warmth that we cherish the most. This recipe is also perfect for Valentine’s Day because it’s got one of the most popular Valentine’s Day ingredients (chocolate) and it’s something personal that you can make and give to people you love and care about.

Ingredients:

5 ounces dark chocolate (70%)

4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter

3 tablespoons good espresso

2 large eggs

3/4 cup superfine sugar

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Snap the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter, espresso and a good pinch of sea salt, and place over a pan of gently simmering water to melt very slowly until smooth, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, in another bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together until pale and doubled in size, then carefully fold in the melted chocolate mixture.

Boil the kettle. Divide the mixture between 6 coffee cups or mugs and put them into a roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven, then carefully pour in enough boiling kettle water to come halfway up the side of the cups. Bake for exactly 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven and leave to cool in the water for 2 hours.

To serve, shave over some extra chocolate, or add fresh fruit like cherries, blood oranges or wild strawberries, with a dollop of yogurt or crème fraîche.

Strawberry waffles recipe

One of my favorite recipes to make is waffles. They are light, creamy, and maintain a softness within, yet a hint of crispness on the outside. Not only are they incredibly delicious, but they are also simple and easily customizable (and are great with strawberries!). I love preparing this treat for my family and I in the morning, and what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a homemade breakfast? After all, few things are as special as a plate of freshly made waffles topped with strawberries and honey. There’s nothing quite like starting Valentine’s Day with such a sweet aroma.

Recipe adapted from: https://bydash.com/blogs/recipes/classic-waffles-heart

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 3-4 minutes each

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup mlk

1 egg

2 tbsp of melted butter

Strawberries, sliced

Honey

Recipe

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. .

Pour the wet ingredients into thee dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful to not overmix, as the batter should still be slightly lumpy. Add some of the sliced strawberries into batter and lightly mix.

Lightly grease the waffle maker with a cooking spray or some melted butter. Pour the batter into waffle iron (preferably a heart-shaped one!) and cook until golden brown.

Carefully remove the waffles from the iron and serve them on a plate. Top the waffles with more sliced strawberries and drizzle honey on top.