Cynics would have you believe that Valentine’s Day is a holiday meant to line the pockets of executives at Hallmark and Papyrus. I am not among them. I am a Valentine’s Day fan, a committed devotee.
How can you be opposed to a day that is singularly dedicated to romantic love? And since I’ve had kids, I’ve expanded the notion to include parental love. My front door is festooned with a heart shaped wreath made from magenta heather. I have a stockpile of doilies and pink paper for the requisite Valentine’s Cards. I’ve been tinkering with heart-shaped eggs so I’m ready for breakfast the morning of. And I dreamed up this pretty little treat — a chocolate Valentine — just for the occasion.
Valentine’s Day? I’m all in.
Even if you aren’t all in, these three-ingredient chocolate hearts are worth your attention. No cookie cutters required, just crispy cereal, coconut, chocolate and a willingness to get messy with melted goodness.
Here’s how:
- Start by chopping up bittersweet chocolate into small pieces. Opt for decent chocolate here; it doesn’t need to be Valrhona, but not Baker’s Chocolate either.
- Melt the chocolate down into dreamy lusciousness. Try not to lick every last drop.
- Add the cereal and coconut and give it a stir. If you aren’t one for coconut, just add more cereal or your favorite finely chopped nuts.
- Scoop the chocolate by the tablespoon onto a baking sheet and use your fingertips to flatten the mixture and spread it into the shape of a heart. If you’re doing this with a child, be very forgiving in your notion of what a heart looks like. It will still taste delicious even if it looks like a monster or the moon.
- Let it to cool enough that it snaps when you break it in half.
Most importantly, share it with your beloveds…the romantic variety or the child variety. Both qualify.
P.S. You can find other Valentine’s Day inspiration here:
Valentine’s Day Cocoa with Whipped Cream Hearts
Lighter Chocolate Pot de Creme
12 Healthyish Chocolate Recipes
Crispy Chocolate Coconut Hearts
Feel free to substitute finely chopped toasted nuts of any variety if you don't care for coconut. Alternatively, skip the nuts altogether and just make this a two-ingredient treat, upping the amount of crispy brown rice cereal to 1 1/3 cups.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup crisp brown rice cereal, such as Barbara's (or use Rice Krispies)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened finely grated coconut
Instructions
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
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Chop the chocolate into small pieces that are roughly even in size. Put it into a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on high in 30-second bursts, mixing after each round, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. This took 2 1/2 minutes in my microwave. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a medium pot set over another pot of simmering water, stirring until melted.
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Add the crisp brown rice cereal and coconut to the chocolate and mix gently until combined.
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Spoon 1 level tablespoon of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet. Use your fingers (and perhaps the aid of the tip of a knife) to spread the chocolate into the shape of a heart. Continue with the remainder of the chocolate, leaving an inch or so of space between. If you don't want to go to the trouble of making hearts, just spread the chocolate into one very thin sheet on the baking pan using a rubber spatula.
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Leave the chocolate to cool and firm up, about an hour (if you spread it in one big sheet, just snap into 2-bite pieces). You can speed up the process by putting the chocolate in the fridge or freezer.
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Store in an air-tight container. Will keep well for 1 week.
