Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our readers!
Valentine’s Day really is about going the extra mile to show that special someone how much you care. What better way to demonstrate your thoughtfulness than to make ice cream, one of life’s greatest pleasures, from scratch?
This warm, luscious affogato from The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee by James Freeman, Caitlin Freeman, and Tara Duggan is a perfect way to end your romantic date-night. The slight smokiness in the creamy almond ice cream perfectly compliment the strong aroma and flavor of the espresso.

This recipe for Overstuffed Nutters from Baking Out Loud: Fun Desserts with Big Flavors (Clarkson Potter, 2012) by Hedy Goldsmith is inspired by the classic peanut-shaped Nutter Butter cookies. Here, Hedy Goldsmith combines two great recipes into one fantastic dessert: oatmeal raisin cookies (minus the raisins) and her favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. It’s the same as the original, only better. Your Valentine will think they (and you!) are amazing.

First, a promise: Your Valentine will inhale this custard. This recipe for Butterscotch Pots de Crème from In My Kitchen:100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks (Clarkson Potter, 2012) by Ted Allen does an expert job of commingling the sweet and savory. As this luscious concoction shows, those worlds have never been completely separate. So treat your special someone with a combination of flavors that will surely blow their mind!

Wondering what to make for your lemon-loving Valentine? Look no further. These Shaker Lemon Tartlets from Martha’s American Food are a real treat for anyone who loves a sweet & tart lemon dessert. They look beautiful enough to be sold in a bakery, but are easy enough to make in a home kitchen. The lemon slices on top make these tartlets really picture-perfect. Pucker up!

It’s Valentine’s Day! Still stumped on what sweet to make your sweetie? Good thing we have a recipe that can be whipped up in a jiffy–these chocolate chip cookies from River Cottage Every Day take just 10 minutes to make and 10 minutes to bake!