I have always loved Valentine’s Day and hearts, pink, lace, and special cards.
When I taught elementary school, it was such a fun time for the children because they loved creating bags to share cards with their classmates and making cards for their parents, grandparents, dear aunts, and siblings. They enjoyed learning to cut the heart shapes in all different sizes and gluing all the pieces together and writing sweet messages. I still enjoy making and sending Valentine cards and preparing and giving special and delicious treats to friends on this special day of love.
This is a party just for girlfriends to enjoy sharing love with one another and some delicious French valentine treats in a special setting.
The front door sets the tone for the party of love with a beautiful large golden heart hanging from elegant pink ribbons surrounded by a fabulous balloon arch of pink, white, and golden balloons made by Jennifer Carter of Florals and Celebrations. Guests enter to a buffet array of sweet delicacies displayed on golden tiered servers and ruffled Annieglass among pink roses, hydrangeas, carnations, and greenery surround by more balloons with a large golden “Love” sign. The menu offers an array of homemade delectable French bakery treats of Coconut Cake, French Macarons, Cream Puffs, Chocolate Eclairs, Cinnamon Madeleines, and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries to enjoy while visiting with one another for a memorable time.
Invite your girlfriends for a sweet Valentine Party, and enjoy the day of sharing love!
Menu
Coconut Cake
French Macarons
Cream Puffs
Chocolate Eclairs
Cinnamon Madeleines
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Coconut Cake
1 (16.25-ounce) white cake mix
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon coconut extract
½ teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With mixer, combine cake mix, milk, oil, egg whites, and flavorings. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into 3 (9-inch) greased and floured pans. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool. Prepare frosting, chill for 15 to 20 minutes, and spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake. Sprinkle remaining (6-ounce) package coconut on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate.
Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon coconut extract
3 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
2 (6-ounce) packages frozen coconut, thawed and divided
1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping
In a bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, and coconut extract. Stir in pudding mix and 1 (6-ounce) package coconut. Fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before frosting cake.
Yield: 16 servings
Lena Causey, Madison
French Macarons
1¼ cups almond flour
1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
Gel-paste food coloring
In a bowl, sift together almond flour and confectioners’ sugar; set aside. With mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. With mixer running, gradually sift in sugar, beating to combine. Increase mixer to medium-high speed, and beat until whites are still glossy. Beat in coloring of choice. Fold whites into almond flour mixture. Beat with spatula until batter slowly falls from spatula into a smooth mass when spatula is lifted. Place into a pastry bag with a ½-inch round tip, and pipe rounds to desired size onto parchment-lined baking sheets or macaron mats. Let dry for 30 to 90 minutes until crusts form on tops of macarons. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet after 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and place parchment or baking mat with macarons on wire rack to cool completely. Gently lift macarons off sheet or mat. Very gently, pipe prepared Filling on half of macaron backs, and top each with macaron top of equal size.
Yield: 3 dozen small macarons
Filling:
½ (16-ounce) container buttercream frosting
1 tablespoon jam
In a bowl, stir together frosting and jam. Spoon into pastry bag with ½-inch round tip, and pipe on back of half of macarons.
Yield: 1 cup
Cream Puffs
Choux Pastry:
1 cup water
½ stick unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Sweetened whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
For garnish: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Remove pan from heat, and add 1 cup flour all at once. Stir to form a ball a dough, then stir in eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Dough should be smooth and satiny. Pipe the dough or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls in 1-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes; reduce temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the puffs are puffed and golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on cooling rack. When puffs are cooled, slice the tops horizontally. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, may freeze longer. Crisp up by baking for 5 to 8 minutes in a 300-degree oven. Cool before filling with sweetened whipped cream. For sweetened whipped cream, with mixer, beat whipping cream until stiff, and gradually beat in sugar. Dust tops with sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Yield: 2-3 dozen small puffs
Chocolate Eclairs
Choux Pastry:
1 cup water
½ stick unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil. Remove pan from heat, and add 1 cup flour all at once. Stir to form a ball a dough, then stir in eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Dough should be smooth and satiny. Pipe the dough in 3-inch oblongs onto parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes; reduce temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the puffs are puffed and golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on cooling rack. When puffs are cooled, slice the tops horizontally. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, may freeze longer. Crisp up by baking for 5 to 8 minutes in a 300-degree oven. Cool before filling with Pastry Cream.
Pastry Cream:
1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup cold milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Ganache Icing:
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Place chips in glass mixing bowl; set aside. In microwave, heat whipping cream. Pour cream over chips until melted. Brush over tops of eclairs.
Cinnamon Madeleines
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a double boiler over low, heat sugar and eggs until lukewarm, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and with mixer beat until batter thickens, incorporating as much air as possible. When cool, add salt and gradually beat in flour. Stir in butter, cinnamon, and almond extract. Pour 2/3 full into greased madeleine molds. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly brown and tops spring back when pressed lightly. Cool in pan for 1 minute, then turn onto wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Yield: 1½-2 dozen
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 (12-ounce) package pink candy melts
Gold sprinkles
Wash and dry strawberries, leaving leaves and stems attached. In microwave on defrost, melt candy melts on 30-second intervals until melted. Dip strawberries into melts and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with gold sprinkles.
Balloon arch created by Jennifer Carter, Florals and Celebrations,
JenniferCascioCarter@gmail.com
Donated by by Tammy Loftin and Lexy Loftin of Weddings and Life’s Celebrations from Loftin Design Co., loftindesignco@yahoo.com
