If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
Ah, Valentine’s Day: You either celebrate it or you actively protest the holiday. Or maybe you just don’t have any strong feelings either way, and go about your life without planning a thing. Then there’s the rest of us, who are in it for the candy and sweets. What do all of these groups have in common? It’s hard to believe anyone from any walk of life would turn down one of Ina Garten‘s best Valentine’s Day desserts. Ina Garten’s best chocolate recipes are a start, but you don’t want to miss out on her homemade salted caramels, Eton mess, and other fruit-filled recipes.
The Barefoot Contessa host and author of 13 cookbooks knows a thing or two about making a decadent yet simple meal. Garten is also a total romantic, and often talks about how much she loves cooking for her husband of more than 50 years, Jeffrey Garten. So you know these Valentine’s Day desserts won’t disappoint you, your Valentine, or your Palentine.
Salted Caramel Brownies
Chewy, gooey, and fudgy are just a few words that could be used to describe these rich brownies. They’re the ultimate chocolate lovers’ dessert for your Valentine, and the caramel drizzle and sea salt topping sets this Ina Garten brownie recipe apart from the crowd. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Strawberry Tarts
Strawberries are a hallmark of Valentine’s Day celebration, and the grocery store usually stocks up before the holiday. Make use of the abundance of red berries with this simple tart recipe, which pairs strawberries with homemade pastry cream and a buttery crust.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Tiramisu
The layered flavors in this classic tiramisu are sure to make your sweetie swoon. Espresso and rum soaked ladyfinger cookies become cake-like, topped with layers of rich mascarpone cream.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Homemade Marshmallows
Sticky, sweet, and vaguely sensual, homemade marshmallows are a labor of love that will wow your Valentine. They’re millions of times better than store-bought marshmallows (for real), and are just as delicious eaten on their own as they are dipped into chocolate. The soft, chewy texture is bound to win hearts.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Profiteroles
Cold vanilla Ice cream meets warm chocolate sauce in this decadent dessert of cream puffs.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Linzer Mini-Cookies
Nothing screams happy Valentine’s Day like a plate with a handful of powdered sugar-topped cookies with red heart centers.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Coeur à la Crème
A few years ago, Garten made the love of her life this fluffy, heart-shaped crustless cheesecake and drizzled a tart raspberry sauce around the base. It’s so much more memorable than a store-bought box of chocolates.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Chocolate Truffles
This chocolate truffle recipe takes nearly no effort at all to make. You mix up the ingredients to make an easy ganache, chill, then roll the ganache into balls and coat them in cocoa powder.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Chocolate-covered strawberries are probably the easiest, quickest dessert to make on Valentine’s Day (they take just 10 minutes), and yet they’re the most romantic. Go figure!
Get the recipe from Food.com.
Chocolate Cassis Cake
This chocolate cake is so good you won’t want to make it just on Valentine’s Day. Fellow TV chef Giada De Laurentiis makes it every year on her birthday, and the two even made the cake together on an episode of Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Are you a kitchen powerhouse and really want to impress? Take on this advanced chocolate crème brûlée recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Shortbread Hearts
Sprinkle these cookies with a bit of raw sugar and fine sugar, and they’ll be perfect.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Fleur de Sel Caramels
If you’ve never made homemade caramels before, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is. The key is using a candy thermometer and making sure you don’t burn the sugar. But the results are totally worth any momentary stress during the cooking process.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Eton Mess
An Eton mess is a traditional, deceptively simple English dessert complete with layers of strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped double cream. This dessert is irresistible.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Raspberry Cheesecake
We know; we know. We have two cheesecake recipes on this list. But a raspberry cheesecake always deserves a spot on the Valentine’s Day culinary lineup, and a dessert this decadent always feels like the right way to end a romantic meal.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
A version of this article was originally published February 2019.
Before you go, check out the gallery below:
Leave a Comment