As Valentine’s Day approaches, I got to wondering about the
traditions associated with this occasion. I can’t hear the word
”
Valentine
”
without picturing a red heart, and when I think of
 a person named Valentine, I think of Cupid himself.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I got to wondering about the traditions associated with this occasion. I can’t hear the word “Valentine” without picturing a red heart, and when I think of a person named Valentine, I think of Cupid himself.
There are apparently two or three different historical “Valentines” who became saints in the early Christian church and whose stories are said to be the origin of the holiday we celebrate today.
My favorite rendition comes from the History Channel Web site: “Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men – his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.” The execution took place Feb. 14.
Later, “during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that Feb. 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February – Valentine’s Day – should be a day for romance.”
In more modern times, the first commercial Valentine’s Day greeting cards produced in the United States were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” Howland made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap,” according to the American Greeting Card Association.
And what about the practice of giving chocolates as a Valentine’s Day gift? According to the National Confectionary Association, Richard Cadbury introduced the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates in 1868.
These days, for traditional couples, it’s the female who expects to be given chocolates by the male, so I wasn’t sure if recipes for chocolate bonbons would be of any use. I mean, how many males are really going to make their own? The chocolates might be relatively easy to make, but I have absolutely no tips on making a red satin heart-shaped box.
Then I decided I was over-thinking the situation. We all just want to sit around and eat chocolates together, right? So here are a couple of recipes.
Please note that while you have my blessing to feed these to your children, you should probably not let children help in the kitchen on this one. The melted chocolate or hot sugar syrup is very hot and could cause a nasty burn.
Imitation Snicker-ish bonbons
(adapted by “Top Secret Recipes” by Todd Wilbur, Plume/Penguin Group, 1993)
1 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. peanut butter
dash salt
3 cups powdered sugar
35 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
2 12-ounce bags milk chocolate chips
Step 1: With an electric mixer on high speed, combine the 1 Tbs. water, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, peanut butter and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar.
Step 2: When the mixture has the consistency of dough, remove it from the bowl with your hands and press it into a lightly greased 9-inch-by-9-inch pan. Set in the refrigerator.
Step 3: Melt the caramels in a small pan with the 1/4 cup water over low heat or in a microwave. When the mixture is soft, stir in the peanuts.
Step 4: Pour the caramel mixture over the refrigerated nougat, and return to the refrigerator.
Step 5: When the refrigerated mixture is firm, melt the chocolate in a microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
Step 6: When the mixture in the pan is hardened, cut into 1 1/2-inch square for bonbons or rectangular pieces for bars.
Step 7: Set up wax paper to set the finished candies on. Then, spear each piece gently on a fork, and dip it into the melted chocolate. Tap the fork against the inside of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, and place the chunks on the wax paper.
Step 8: Cool at room temperature for several hours for best results. I advise tasting one every half-hour or so to see how they’re doing.
Chocolate-Covered Almond Toffee
from the February 2006 Gourmet magazine, contributed by Joe Miller of Glasgow, Mont.
1 cup slivered or sliced almonds (about 4 ounces), toasted
3Â cups (10 ounces) walnuts
2 3.5- to 4-ounce bars milk chocolate
2 3.5- to 4-ounce bars bittersweet chocolate
1 pound salted butter plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. water
You will also need two large (17-inch-by-13-inch) baking sheets, and for best results, a candy or deep-fry thermometer.
Step 1: Coarsely chop almonds by hand or in a food processor; set aside. Finely chop walnuts and set aside.
Step 2: Finely chop one bar of each kind of chocolate and place in a bowl. Do the same in a separate bowl with the other two bars.
Step 3: Butter a large baking sheet and put on a heat-proof surface. Combine the butter, sugar and water in a medium saucepan over moderate heat and bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Stir occasionally until the mixture is golden and reaches 300 degrees on the thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Immediately stir in almonds, then carefully pour mixture into center of prepared baking sheet. Spread toffee into a 15-inch-by-12 inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Smooth the top with a heatproof spatula, and let stand 1 minute.
Step 5: Sprinkle one bowl of chopped chocolate evenly on top of hot toffee. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly using an offset metal spatula. Sprinkle half of chopped walnuts evenly over the melted chocolate, then cover with a sheet of wax paper.
Step 6: Wearing oven mitts, invert second baking sheet over toffee and carefully invert toffee and sheet. If toffee does not release itself, use a spatula to loosen it. Once inverted, sprinkle remaining chocolate on top to melt, then spread and sprinkle with walnuts as above. Place a sheet of wax paper on top, and press lightly to help nuts adhere.
Step 7: Freeze toffee on baking sheet until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break toffee into pieces, then serve or place in an airtight container and store at room temperature.
