Valentine's Day At Home

Treat them to a romantic date night in this Valentine's Day

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Show them home is where the heart is this Valentine's Day with handmade treats, thoughtful touches and gifts that will leave them style smitten.

Restaurants may be off the menu this Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate your love in style. With February 14 falling on a Sunday this year, breakfast in bed is a little luxury that’s perfect for home. Slip out of bed early and surprise them with their favourite breakfast dish and, as it’s a special occasion, add a Mimosa or Bloody Mary on the side. Need inspiration? Check out our Le Creuset Valentine’s Day edit for mouthwatering treats they’ll love.

If film is a passion you share, use throws, candles and cushions to transform your living room into a cosy home cinema and enjoy a marathon of your favourite movies together. If you’re instead feeling really ambitious, set them a scavenger hunt that leads to their gift or turn your bathroom into a home spa, with soothing music, aromatherapy candles and face masks for a moment of me-time they’ll cherish.

Being at home this Valentine’s Day needn’t limit your horizons either. Search out online activities you can both enjoy. From gin masterclasses and guided wine tastings, to learning how to tango, make their day even more memorable by bringing a little of the outside world in.

Le Creuset Valentine's Day Edit

Make Valentine’s Day even sweeter with a mouthwatering recipe from Le Creuset. Treat their taste buds to a red velvet cupcake, fresh from the oven, or up the culinary ante with a perfectly risen chocolate soufflé.

Makes: 6
Preperation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Unsalted butter for greasing, melted
60ml oil
1 egg
110g caster sugar
200g natural yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp red food colouring
½ tsp vinegar
100g flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the frosting
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g icing sugar
300g full fat cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C /Fan 160°C/ Gas Mark 4.
2. Dip a pastry brush into the butter and use it to lightly coat each muffin cup.
3. Mix together the oil, eggs and caster sugar in a bowl.
4. Add the yoghurt, vanilla, food colouring and vinegar and continue to mix.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions and mix well.
7. Pour the batter into the muffin cups filling them ¾ full.
8. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
10. To make the frosting; beat the butter on its own for a few minutes to loosen it.
11. Add in the icing sugar, and beat again, to make it really smooth. Pour off any excess liquid from the cream cheese and add to the sugar and butter. Add the vanilla and then beat everything together until lovely and thick.
12. Spread or piper the muffins with the cream cheese frosting and serve.
Serves: 8-10
Preperation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
225g butter, plus extra for greasing
250g dark chocolate
1 tsp instant coffee
5 medium eggs
75g caster sugar
75g plain flour, sieved
175g fresh raspberries
A little icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/ Fan 140°C /Gas Mark 3.
2. Grease the inside of the heart casserole and line the base with baking parchment.
3. Put the chocolate, butter, coffee and 1 tablespoon of water into a saucepan. Place over a medium heat and melt together, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.
4. Put the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and beat until thick and pale in colour. (This may take 4–5 minutes using an electric hand mixer.)
5. Using a metal spoon, gently fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar, followed by the flour.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the casserole and sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the top.
7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40–45 minutes or until the cake is well risen and springy to the touch.
8. Leave the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then ease around the edge of the casserole with a spatula before turning the cake out onto a large serving plate.
9. When cool, remove the baking parchment and turn the cake over so that the raspberries are on the top. Dust with the icing sugar to serve.
Makes: 18-20
Preperation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes (plus cooling overnight)

INGREDIENTS
200g white couverture or chocolate
50g of whipped cream
30g unsalted butter, cubed
Optional 1 tbsp rum or orange liqueur
For decoration (optional)
Sugar sprinkles
Desiccated coconut
White chocolate flakes, chopped
Chopped nuts
Icing sugar

METHOD
1. Begin by roughly chopping the couverture/chocolate and butter into small sized pieces.
2. Bring the cream to the boil, remove from the heat, add the chopped couverture/chocolate and the butter, stir until everything is melted. Allow the creamy mixture to cool a little and then stir in the orange liquer.
3. Put the mixture in the refrigerator overnight.
4. The next day, shape the truffle mixture into small balls (approx. 2.5 cm in diameter) and roll them in either the coconut flakes, chocolate flakes, chopped nuts or icing sugar. Mix and match your flavours here to create different truffles.
5. The truffle mixture will warm up very quickly and stick to the hands. Therefore, shape quickly and rinse your hands in cold water between shaping.
6. Once all truffles are made serve them in a Le Creuset heart ramekin.
Makes: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder
85g chocolate
½ tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
Pinch of cream of tartar

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ Fan 160° / Gas Mark 4.
2. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease the 4 ramekins. Coat the inside of the ramekins with the cocoa powder, tapping out the excess and re-using to coat the remaining ramekins.
3. In a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and remaining butter. Stir occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until smooth. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl beat the egg whites with the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Using a metal spoon, gently fold the egg-white mixture into the chocolate. Divide the mixture between the 4 ramekins.
5. Bake until puffed and set, this will take about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.