Don’t feel like going out this Valentine’s Day, and rather have some intimate time at home with your loved one? Make the occasion special with these very special treats especially prepared for him/her and see how love blooms.

Mocha Coffee French Crullers

Ingredients
265 ml Milk 265 ml Water
120 ml Butter 15 ml Caster sugar 310 ml Flour
3 Eggs Glaze
375 ml Icing sugar 30 ml Cocoa
15 ml Espresso 30 ml Milk

Crullers
Cut 20 squares of baking paper and place onto a baking sheet. Trace a heart onto each paper. Turn the paper over so the tracing is on the back of the paper when you place it back onto the baking sheet.
Place a French piping tip into a large piping bag. Set aside
Place milk, water, sugar and butter into a medium sauce pan and allow to come to the boil.
Remove from the heat and place all the flour into the sauce pan at once. Stir quickly and mix well.
Return the mixture to the heat and stir over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture will leave a residue on the base of the pan when it is done.
Transfer the dough to a large glass bowl of the bowl of your stand mixer. Spread the dough up the sides of the bowl to help cool quickly.
While the dough is cooling, make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and set aside.
Scrape the dough down from the sides of your bowl and add one egg. Mix until the egg is well combined.
Add the second egg and continue beating. If the pastry is not loose enough, add just the yolk of the third egg before testing. If you pinch some pastry off, then pull your fingers apart, it should stretch about 2 to 3cm before breaking. If it breaks before about 2cm, then add the remaining egg white and beat well. Beat the pastry until glossy.
Fill the prepared piping bag with the pastry. Pipe a heart onto each square of baking paper using the traced heart to guide you.
Pour enough oil into a medium pot for deep frying. Heat to 180C
Lift the hearts (including the paper) with a slotted spoon and place into the heated oil. After 10 seconds, remove the paper and discard. Fry in batches until golden brown.
Place fried crullers onto kitchen towel to absorb any extra oil.
Dip each cruller into the glaze and place on a cooking rack to cool completely.
Serve immediately.

Love martini

½ shot Malibu Rum
½ shot Peach Schnapps
½ shot Vodka
3 shots Cranberry juice
Berries for garnish
Sugar to rim glass
Wedge of lime
Gebntly mix the rum, schnapps, voda and Cranberry juuice together in a shaker and pour into the prepared glass. Garnish with lime wedge and berries.

Treat your Valentine locally

No need to venture far to treat your Valentine this Sunday. Local restaurants and venues offer a wide variety of Valentine specials with which to spoil loved ones. Here are some Valentine offers up for grabs this weekend.

Get a massage
Enjoy a special Valentine’s couples massage at Club Cocomo in Ifafi. Round it off with delicious cocktails in the beach-like setting next to the pool. The special lasts for the whole month of love.
Contact 012 259 0303

Flowers flowers
No Valentine’s Day is possible without flowers. Pamper Boutique has the most beautiful flowers to spoil your Valentine, and they deliver!
Contact 082 940 6139

Meaty Valentine
For the meat eaters, Schoemansville Butchery offers a variety of Valentine’s Day specials. And while getting meat for your dinner, you can also get a special Valentine’s hamper for your loved one. Contact 012 259 0778

Into the wild
Celebrate your love with a romantic lunch and a game drive at the Lion & Safari Park at a special Valentine’s price. Contact 087 1500 100
Or take a walk on the wild side at the Ann van Dyk Cheetah centre. Watch the cheetah run and watch them on a game drive before treating yourself at the cozy coffee shop at the centre. Contact o63 693 7403

Chocolates galore!
You definitely need chocolates for Valentine’s Day! Pick n Pay Brits and Pick n Pay Village Mall now stock a large variety of chocolates to spoil your Valentine this weekend.

Get pretty
Get pretty for Valentine’s Day at Off the Grid Eco Hair Studio with special treatment and blow wave while your partner enjoys a relaxing head massage. Contact 082 678 5778

Gifts galore
If you need the perfect gift for your Valentine, look no further than Butterfly Blu. This unique gift shop stocks a wide variety of really special gifts for him and her. Contact 082 551 0273.