Great Tasting, Low-Cost Valentine's Day Desserts
Updated: 22 February, 2024
Whether you're planning a Valentine's meal at home, or looking for menu inspiration, these ideas won't break the bank!
Serve a stunning dessert to round off the Valentine's meal, and warm the hearts of your guests. They're all super quick and easy to prepare, and some are even pimping up pre-made desserts for convenience.
Walnut Affogato
Add a spin on this Italian dessert with the use of walnuts. This recipe makes four individual desserts and is a perfect small treat with a caffeine kick after a big meal.
  • Melt 50g of dark chocolate and 20g of unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water
  • Once melted, add a pinch of sea salt and remove from the heat
  • Roughly chop or crumble 50g of walnuts
  • Take a scoop of vanilla ice cream per bowl/cup and scatter over the crumbled walnuts
  • Just before serving, pour over an espresso shot of hot Royal Roast coffee per cup
  • Decorate with a whole walnut and drizzle over the melted chocolate
Pimped up Cheesecake
Our gluten-free cheesecake portions are thick, super-creamy and luxurious - however you can make them even better with the addition of some simple toppings.
Serve the slice on a plate with a drizzle of decadent chocolate sauce, and some crushed Oreos for the chocolate lovers. For those that prefer a fruitier taste, simply pull together a compote using strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or even peaches!
Panna Cotta
Silky smooth panna cotta is the perfect way to end a meal and can be customised with lots of different flavours, including fruity berries, strong coffee or luxurious chocolate.
To make the panna cotta, simply:
  • Soak two and a half gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for five minutes
  • In a saucepan, pour 150ml of milk and 400ml of double cream, along with 60g of caster sugar and the seeds of one vanilla pod
  • Stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat
  • Remove the gelatine from the cold water, and squeeze out the excess water
  • Add the gelatine to the milk saucepan and stir until it has completely dissolved
  • Pour the mixture into four of your chosen serving dishes/ramekins or glasses, and place in the fridge to set (around a couple of hours)
Why not serve with a super-strong coffee syrup?
  • Simmer 100ml of freshly brewed Royal Roast coffee with 100g of caster sugar until dissolved and thickened
  • Stir in one tablespoon of Kahlua coffee liqueur and leave aside to cool
  • Just before serving the panna cotta, pour some of the syrup over the top and enjoy!
Or, how about a hazelnut praline and chocolate ganache?
  • To a heatproof bowl, add 100g of finely chopped dark chocolate
  • Pour 80ml of single cream into a small saucepan, and bring just to a boil over medium heat
  • Add the heated cream to the bowl of chocolate, and stir until the chocolate melts and becomes smooth and glossy, then set aside
  • Place 75g of roasted hazelnuts onto a small baking tray that has been lined with baking/greaseproof paper
  • In a small saucepan over a low heat, add 220g of caster sugar, along with two tablespoons of water
  • Swirl the pan until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and cook for 6-8 minutes until it turns to a deep golden brown colour
  • Pour the sugar mixture over the hazelnuts and leave to cool completely
  • Once cooled, break the praline up using a wooden spoon (it's great to have a variety of larger and smaller bits to scatter over the panna cotta). Alternatively, pop the praline into a food processor and whizz together to break it down
  • When the dessert is ready to serve, spoon over the chocolate sauce and a good sprinkling of praline - enjoy!
To create these desserts, shop the ingredients here.