Be Mine Valentine

Nothing says I love you like chocolate and strawberries. Although I don't have a photo of the finished product, My Valentine got a surprise of strawberry cheesecake cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries with champagne.

To make this delicious set of treats you need some time and someone deserving of the love you make it with. Strawberry cheesecake cupcakes go like this:
Preheat your oven to 350 and prep 6-8 muffin tins by lining cupcake paper with crushed graham crackers
1. In a small bowl mix together:
3/4C All purpose flour
1/2t baking powder
1/2t salt
2. In a large bowl cream:
6T butter
1/2C & 1T sugar, add 1/2t vanilla and beat.
3. Add half of your dry ingredients and 1/2C sour cream (or plain yogurt) and mix. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients.
4. In another bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in apx 1/3 to the batter and mix well. Then add the rest of the egg whites as well as 1/4C of fresh and chopped strawberries.
5. Bake for about 20- 23 minutes.

While these cuties are baking, prepare cream cheese frosting by beating together 4-oz of cream cheese, 4T of soft butter and 1/4t of vanilla. Lower the setting and add 1C of confectioner's sugar. Then increase the speed setting and mix well until fluffy.
Decorate as you wish, but cutting half a strawberry into a heart shape is really cute!

With your remaining strawberries you can do one of two things - or both depening on how indulgent you feel. In a double broiler (or a heat proof bowl that rests safely over a pot of boiling water), melt equal parts dark semi-sweet chocolate, butter and corn syrup. Once the ingredients have melted and have a blended consistency from stirring, dip one side of a strawberry and set on a baking pan (or plate). Let cool in the fridge for one hour and then do the same for the other side of the strawberry.
Another way to use up those leftover strawberries is to chop then up let them soak in champagne that you can sip on over dessert. Strawberries can really make a cheap 'sparkling wine' a lot less tart, turning a 'cheap' wine into a sweet treat.

(Credit is due to "A Good Appetite" at http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com/2008/07/strawberry-cheesecake-cupcakes.html for the great cupcake recipe)