Show your valentine how much you care with a homemade gift straight from your kitchen. This chocolate heart trio is made with love and filled with some of our favorite flavors from creamy caramel, to tropical coconut, to satisfying peanut butter. Whether you make all three or just one for your sweetie, we are sure they will thank you (and each batch makes a generous amount, so you don’t need to feel guilty about indulging in some yourself).
Sea Salt Chocolate Caramel Hearts
Supplies Needed
- Candy thermometer
- Parchment paper
- 8″ x 8″ baking pan
- 1″ heart-shaped vegetable/cookie cutter
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 – 8 ounce semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- teaspoon sea salt
Directions
- Line square 8″ x 8″ baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, add sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, and butter.
- Continue stirring for several minutes until the candy thermometer reads 242° F (firm ball stage).
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and pour into baking pan.
- Let caramel cool for 2 hours on the counter.
- Remove caramel from pan and use small 1″ heart-shaped cutter and cut out 30 (or more) caramel hearts and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place chocolate in small glass bowl and microwave at :30 increments for 2 minutes, stirring after each :30.
- Place caramel heart on a fork and dip into melted chocolate. Tap off excess on side of bowl and use a toothpick or butter knife to glide heart off fork onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat for the rest of the caramel butter hearts.
- Move chocolate covered hearts to the freezer to set for an hour. Place in a glass container and wrap with a festive ribbon to gift. Store in a cool, dry place.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts
Supplies Needed
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Small 1″ heart-shaped vegetable/cookie cutter
- Glass storage container
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- (1) 4 oz bar semi-sweet chocolate or 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- In a small bowl with a spatula, mix peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and combine
- Roll dough into ball and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough to 1/4″ thickness and place in the freezer on a baking sheet.
- Chill for 3 hours.
- Use a small heart-shaped cutter to cut out 24 small heart shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place chocolate in small glass bowl and microwave at :30 increments for 2 minutes, stirring after each :30.
- Place frozen peanut butter heart on a fork and dip into melted chocolate. Tap off excess on side of bowl and use a toothpick or butter knife to glide heart off fork onto cookie sheet to set. Repeat for the rest of the peanut butter hearts.
- Move chocolate covered hearts to the freezer to set for an hour. Place in a glass container and wrap with a festive ribbon to gift. Store in a cool, dry place.
Dark Chocolate Coconut Hearts
Supplies Needed
- Spatula
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Small 2 1/2″ heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Glass storage container
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
- In a small bowl with a spatula, combine coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla.
- Form into 12 hearts by filling the heart-shaped cookie cutter with the mixture and pressing down firmly until 1/2″ thickness is achieved.
- Transfer hearts with a spatula onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze coconut hearts for 2 hours.
- Place chocolate in small glass bowl and microwave at :30 increments for 2 minutes, stirring after each :30.
- Place a frozen coconut heart on a fork and dip into melted chocolate. Tap off excess on side of the bowl and use a toothpick or butter knife to glide heart off fork onto a baking sheet to set. Repeat for the rest of the coconut hearts.
- Move chocolate covered hearts to the freezer to set for an hour. Place in a glass container and wrap with a festive ribbon to gift. Store in a cool, dry place.