How to Make a Ring of Hearts

Have you ever wondered how restaurants make those fancy schmancy plate decorations? For a truly romantic dessert, serve slices of your favorite cake on plates you decorate yourself with no fuss.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 (12-ounce) bags frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 (24-ounce) bottle chocolate flavor syrup
• Mint sprigs for garnish

Instructions

1.  Set aside 18 to 24 raspberries for garnish. In a medium saucepan, bring remaining raspberries and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Boil until sugar dissolves. 
    
2. In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch. Stir into raspberries and simmer 2 minutes, or until thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
    
3. Push sauce through a sieve to remove seeds; discard seeds.

 Here's the creative part:

• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of raspberry sauce onto each of 6 rimmed dessert plates. Tilt each plate so that sauce completely coats its center.
   
• Place small, evenly spaced drops of chocolate sauce in a ring around outer edge of raspberry sauce. (It works best to tip bottle and let chocolate drip out. If you squeeze the bottle, the chocolate comes out too fast.) In a continuous motion, draw the tip of a sharp knife through the center of the drops, shaping each one into a heart.
   
• Place a slice of your sweetheart's favorite pie or cake, or even a big brownie or scoop of ice cream, in the center of your ring of hearts. What a special way to say, "I love you!"

For other tempting treats, download our Recipes for Romance: 30 Valentine's Day Desserts and Drink Recipes free eCookbook.