To create the ideal Valentine’s Day experience for your special someone, add any of the below heart-inspired drinks to your list of to-dos. Be it as an addition to a delicious home cooked meal made with love, a cool charcuterie board, favorite appetizers, or whatever else you’re serving your sweetie, they will surely be pleasantly surprised with any of these concoctions…and don’t forget the all too popular and delightful chocolate covered strawberries to top off your romantic experience with the one you adore!
Sparkling Strawberry Floats {Cocktail or Mocktail}
By: Samantha Skaggs of https://www.fivehearthome.com/valentines-day-desserts/
Top sweet strawberry sorbet with bubbly Prosecco for Sparkling Strawberry Floats that are perfect for Valentine’s Day, and it’s easy to make a yummy, non-alcoholic version as well!
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberry sorbet
- 4 cups chilled Prosecco, OR champagne, OR ginger ale, OR soda
- Diced fresh strawberries and/or sliced strawberries for garnishing the glasses,
Instructions
- Place a few small scoops of sorbet in a glass. Pour chilled Prosecco over the top. Sprinkle with diced strawberries, if desired, and serve immediately.
Strawberry Lemonade Mojitos {or} Faux-jitos
Also by: Samantha Skaggs https://www.fivehearthome.com/valentines-day-desserts/of
Traditional mojitos get a twist in these refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Mojitos, using lemons instead of limes, fresh strawberries, and mint simple syrup.
Ingredients
For Mint-Infused Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mint leaves
For Mojitos:
- 1 large lemon, cut into 8 wedges
- 6 large strawberries, very ripe
- 20 mint leaves
- 3 ounces fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 4 ounces mint-infused Simple Syrup
- 6 ounces white or gold rum
- 8 ounces seltzer
- Ice
Optional Garnishes:
- 4 lemon slices
- 4 whole strawberries
- 4 mint sprigs
Instructions
To prepare simple syrup:
- Combine water and sugar in a small pot.
- Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Stir until sugar dissolves and then remove from heat.
- Add mint and allow to steep until syrup has cooled.
- Strain and discard mint leaves. (You will have leftover simple syrup after making mojitos…store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)
To prepare mojitos:
- In a large pitcher or deep bowl, use a wooden spoon to crush and muddle lemon wedges, strawberries, and mint leaves.
- Add fresh lemon juice, (4 ounces) mint simple syrup, rum, seltzer, and 1 cup ice.
- Stir vigorously before pouring through a strainer into a clean pitcher.
- Divide mojito mixture between four glasses filled with crushed ice (or regular ice cubes). Garnish glasses with strawberries..
Notes
Tweak ingredients as desired, adding more/less rum or more/less simple syrup, to taste.
These Strawberry Shortcake Martinis are refreshing and sweet just like the yummy dessert! Fresh strawberry puree, Whipped Cream Vodka, and a dollop of whipped cream create this yummy cocktail .
Ingredients
- Whipped Cream Vodka
- Strawberry puree:
- 2 cups fresh strawberries; stems removed
Garnishments:
- Whipped Cream
- Strawberry Slices
Instructions
- Add strawberries, sugar, and water to the blender bowl.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour strawberry puree through a sifter to remove some of the seeds (optional).
Martini:
- Add equal amounts of strawberry puree and Whipped Cream Vodka to a cocktail shaker with 1 cup of ice (around 3 oz. of each for 1 martini).
- Shake vigorously for around 30 seconds.
- Drain into a martini glass.
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a fresh strawberry slice.
Chocolate covered strawberries are a staple delightful treat on Valentine’s Day, and yes, they are super simple to make. First, make sure your strawberries are washed and dried well. Melt a bag of chocolate chips in a double boiler, transfer to a small bowl, dip ’em real good, twirl ’em, add desired sprinkles, and let them cool off on wax paper. Store them in the fridge once cooled for a great Valentine’s treat. (Tips on microwaving chocolate below.)
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY MARTINI
A Chocolate Covered Strawberry Martini is the perfect Valentine’s Day cocktail! This creamy drink has fresh strawberry puree, chocolate, and strawberry vodka, and a chocolate covered strawberry garnishment. A festive, red sugar sprinkle rim tops off this dreamy delight with swirls of chocolate syrup.
Ingredients
For the cocktail:
- 5 oz. Strawberry Vodka
- 5 oz. Chocolate Vodka
- 3 oz. strawberry puree
- 5 oz. Half and Half or milk
- 1 cup of crushed Ice
Strawberry Puree:
- 1 cup of. fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. sugar
Garnishments:
- Red sugar sprinkles
- Chocolate syrup
- Chocolate covered strawberries
Instructions
- Prepare martini glass by dipping the rim in chocolate syrup and then sugar sprinkles.
- Swirl chocolate syrup in circular patterns inside the martini glass.
- Add vodkas, strawberry puree, half and half, and ice to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake vigorously until combined and chilled.
- Pour into prepared cocktail glass and garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry.
To Make Strawberry Puree:
- Add strawberries, sugar, and water to the blender, and blend until smooth.
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM LAYERED JELLO SHOTS
These Strawberries and Cream Layered Jello Shots are a festive Valentine’s Day treat with whipped cream vodka. A heart made out of melted white chocolate and sugar sprinkles makes the perfect topper.
MAKING THE LAYERS:
Layered Jello shots are much easier to make than you think. The hardest part is being patient enough to let each layer set before adding the next one. These Strawberries and Cream Layered Jello shots are easily made in a beautiful diagonal pattern by letting the first layer set at an angle in muffin tins. You can also make horizontal layers if you want to take the easier route. Just let each layer firm up for about an hour before placing the next cooled layer.
MAKING THE HEART TOPPER:
The heart topper can be made out of white chocolate chips or white chocolate melting wafers. I prefer the taste of the Ghirardelli brand for either variety. I added around 1/2 c. of chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl with a dollop of coconut oil. You can also use a bit of butter instead. Use a sheet of parchment paper as your work service to avoid any sticking.
INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES FOR A STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM LAYERED JELLO SHOTS:
- Clear 2 oz. shot glasses
- Muffin tins
- Parchment paper
- 1 box strawberry Jello
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsps. sugar
- ⅔ cup of pineapple juice
- 2 packs gelatin
- 1 ⅓ cups Whipped Cream Vodka
- Whipped Cream
- Sprinkle ⅔ cup of white chocolate chips or melting wafers
Instructions
White Chocolate Heart:
- Add the white chocolate chips or wafers to a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave at 30-50% power in 30 second intervals until melted; stirring frequently until melted.
- Place a layer of parchment paper on the work surface.
- Add the melted chocolate to a plastic baggie.
- Trim a small hole in one corner of the plastic bag.
- Squeeze out the chocolate into heart shapes onto the parchment paper.
- Immediately sprinkle each heart with colored sugar sprinkles.
- Carefully remove heart from parchment paper once cooled.
- Jello Shots:
- Bring one cup of water to a boil and stir into the Strawberry Jello mix until dissolved. Stir in 1/3 C. of cold water and allow to set until cooled. (May place in the fridge for around 20 minutes).
- Once cooled, stir in 2/3 C. of vodka. Pour mixture into shot glasses so that they are around half full. Note: Place shot glasses into muffin tins and tilt glasses at an angle (see picture in post).
- Refrigerate until thickened for around 1-2 hours.
- In a small bowl, mix gelatin mix and pineapple juice together.
- In a small saucepan, bring heavy whipping cream and sugar to a near boil; stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pineapple juice mixture.
- Allow to cool to room temperature (may stick it in the fridge for a bit to speed the process).
- Once cooled, mix ⅔ cup of vodka into the whipping cream mixture.
- Add the whipped cream mixture to the opposite side of the firmed strawberry layer in the shot glasses.
- Allow to firm completely for 1-2 hours.
- Top the Jello Shots with whipped cream, sprinkles, and the white chocolate heart right before serving.
Tips for microwaving chocolate:
When microwaving chocolate, ensure that you are only using around 30-50% power to avoid the chocolate hardening when it melts. Stir in 30 second intervals until completely melted. Once the chocolate is melted, place it in a plastic baggie and trim a small slit in one of the corners. For Valentine’s Day Squeeze out the chocolate into a heart shape on whatever you are decorating and sprinkle it with colored sugar sprinkles immediately. Work quickly to prevent the chocolate from hardening!
