
Simplify Valentine’s Day with a quick dessert

If you decide to stay in this Valentine’s Day and treat your loved one to a home cooked meal, it doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It starts with creating a bit of ambiance, buy some pretty flowers, turn the music on low, light some candles and get out your prettiest wine glasses. Chill a bottle of champagne, make a few easy appetizers such as asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, and mozzarella balls speared on toothpicks with cherry tomatoes and drizzled with pesto. In fact, for a fun and really sexy dinner, serve a whole variety of appetizers – you can even buy things from the deli counter, arrange them nicely and take a whole bunch of credit.
End off with a pretty, romantic dessert and you have yourself a beautiful night that just oozes love! The trick is to make it pretty without working yourself to death so you can enjoy the evening!
These individual dessert pizzas could not
1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 box Chebe (or similar brand) All-Purpose Gluten Free Bread Mix
2 tablespoons grapeseed (or other neutral flavored) oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup water
4 teaspoons raw sugar (you can also use sanding sugar, coconut sugar or any sugar you like)
4 ounces Mascarpone cheese (for dairy free substitute dairy free cream cheese alternative) – at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons gluten free chocolate or fudge sauce
Mint leaves for garnish
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
Combine the all purpose gluten free bread mix with the oil, beaten eggs and water. Mix until mostly combined, then dump the mixture onto a clean work surface and knead until the dough is smooth. Divide into 4 equal portions and roll into balls. Lay a piece of parchment or wax paper on a work surface and roll the balls into 5 inch circles. Place the rolled dough onto the prepared baking sheet. With your fingers, flatten the dough leaving a ¼ inch around the edge that is not flattened. Prick the bottom of each pizza crust several times with the tines of a fork. Bake the crusts for 12 – 15 minutes or until the crusts are browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
Combine the Mascarpone cheese with the grated lemon zest and honey. Stir until smooth. Spoon the mixture evenly onto the cooled crusts and with the back of the spoon spread the mixture into an even layer. Drain the strawberries and spoon them on top of the Mascarpone cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of chocolate or fudge sauce, garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.
However you choose to spend Valentine’s Day this year, I hope it lives up to your expectations and most of all, I wish you all love!