💌 Hello Baking Buddy! 💌

It’s February, which means we’re celebrating all things chocolate, lovely, and romantic! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, or just the joy of baking something delicious for yourself (hello, 5-minute chocolate mug cake), I’ve got you covered.

You hold the power to create and spread joy and love! No one can take away your ability to create joy and spread moments of love and care every day.

💖 Valentine’s & Galentine’s Baking Ideas

Whether you’re baking for a romantic evening or a fun gathering with friends, these recipes are perfect for sharing.

🍫 Chocolate Craving

• ​Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting – Classic, moist, and perfectly tangy.
• ​Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes – Ooey, gooey, and always a showstopper.
• ​Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies - My personal favorite!
• ​Red Wine Chocolate Cake - As if we needed another excuse to open up a bottle of red, this cake is perfectly rich, moist, and delicious!
• ​White Chocolate Strawberry Truffles - Perfectly pink homemade candy for your special someone.

🍓 Berry Delicious

• ​Strawberry Champagne Cake with Mascarpone Cream – Because who doesn’t love a little bubbly in their desserts?
• ​Heart-Shaped Raspberry Linzer Cookies – A little bit fancy, but oh-so-easy to make.
• ​Strawberry Sorbet - If you're some place warm and don't feel like baking.
• ​Raspberry Black Cocoa Tart - With a homemade raspberry curd, this chocolate dessert is still fruity and light.
• ​Strawberry Sour Cream Muffins - With a hint of orange.

🍫 February’s Baking Spotlight: The Science of Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder comes in two main types—natural and Dutch-processed. Natural cocoa powder is acidic, lighter in color, and reacts with baking soda in recipes to provide lift. Dutch-processed cocoa powder and black cocoa, on the other hand, have been treated with an alkalizing agent, making it neutral in pH, darker in color, and smoother in flavor. It reacts well with baking powder because baking powder contains an acid (cream of tartar).

Because of these differences, they’re not always interchangeable in recipes! Knowing which type to use will ensure the best results in your baked goods.

📅 Upcoming National Dessert Days

• Feb 5 – World Nutella Day 🥄 Try my Nutella Stuffed Brownies!
• Feb 14 – Valentine’s Day 💕 Perfect excuse to make anything with strawberries, raspberries, or chocolate!
• Feb 19 – National Chocolate Mint Day 🍃 Try my fudgy mint chocolate brownies.
• Feb 21 – National Sticky Bun Day 🍯 My gooey Maple Pecan Sticky Buns are a must!

💗 Our Valentine's Day Menu this year:

Breakfast: Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Syrup

Kids Activity: Making chocolate-dipped strawberries with my toddler and things could get messy! (Thankfully he loves his apron!)

Lunch: Strawberry Balsamic Mix Green Salads with Grilled Chicken

Snack Time: Eating our Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries​

Dinner: Lobster Tails with Garlic Lemon Butter (Natasha's Kitchen recipe), roasted potatoes and broccolini.

Dessert: Nostalgic homemade chocolate pudding with fresh whipped cream.

🛍️ Must-Have Baking Tools for February Want to up your baking game? These are my top picks this month:

• An Instant-Read Thermometer – The easiest way to check chocolate temp for tempering. (Here's what I use.)
• A Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutter Set – Perfect for Valentine’s treats! (Less than $5!)
• A Sturdy Double Boiler – Essential for melting chocolate or making fruit curds. (Here's what I have.)
• REALLY GOOD CHOCOLATE - If you feel like splurging to make your baked goods over-the-top delicious. My premium picks are Valrhona Dark French Semisweet Chocolate and Guittard Semisweet Bars.

📢 Let’s Chat! I’d love to know—what are you making for Valentine's dessert? Reply to this email and let me know!

Happy Baking & Stay Cozy! ❄️🍫

Cheers,

Stephanie Gonzalez

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