Top 40 Valentine Dessert Ideas

Strawberry Panna Cotta with Pistachio

Strawberry Panna Cotta with Pistachio - it's creamy, it's delicious.

Crème Caramel

Pretend you're in a Parisian restaurant with this silky French crème caramel, a perfect Valentine dessert recipe for two. This easy recipe is ideal to make a day or two in advance in individual ramekins. Light on sugar, it uses whole milk, not cream. Halve the recipe quantities or keep the leftovers for the next few days!

100% Chocolate Mousse

This Pure 100% cacao chocolate mousse packs a punch for real, intense chocolate lovers. Otherwise make our favourite French chocolate mousse, also without cream in chocolate recipes below.

Red Fruit Bavarian Creams

These Bavarian creams with red fruits are bursting with flavour and handy to make in advance. Made with just 5 ingredients, don't worry if red fruits aren't in season and too expensive. This recipe works just as well using frozen mixed red fruits!

Peach Melba

The Peach Melba classic yet still so delicious as a duo Valentine's dessert. Peaches, raspberry and vanilla ice cream - make it as easy or fancy as needed. Even if it's not peach season, tinned can do the job if you're in a hurry.

Whisky Ice Cream (no-churn)

This no-churn ice cream with Whisky is extra soft and creamy. Strictly for adults only, serve on its own with crispy almond tuile cookies or with warm chocolate lava cakes.

Poached Pears with Vanilla & Coffee

I thought poaching pears was difficult and fussy when I first came to Paris, but these poached pears with coffee (gluten-free) couldn't be easier. Coffee and pears make a great couple. Serve in large bowls to catch the lovely poaching juice and have fun decorating the sides with a large paintbrush. Serve with French chocolate mendiants.

Filled Hollow Meringues

These are not just for the festive season. Surprise your Valentine with these Filled French meringues for a sophisticated dessert. The meringue is hollow thanks to a quick trick, and filled with vanilla cream and lemon.

Pineapple Rice Pudding

As it's pineapple season, cut out heart shapes in the middle of each pineapple slice to make these individual caramelised pineapple rice puddings.
Shape the rice pudding around the pineapple rings and serve it in the vanilla caramel sauce used to roast the pineapple.

Berry Crème Brûlée

Try this berry crème brûlée, an ideal dessert for two recipe. It's quick to make, made with fresh berries, topped with an elderflower sabayon and toasted under the grill. An elegant dessert that can be whipped up in 30 minutes.

Mini Rhubarb Crumbles

Add the white chocolate mousse to these individual rhubarb crumbles. Add a layer of rhubarb & strawberry compote or cheat and use good quality rhubarb compote (Bonne Maman do a good one). Serve with strawberries and tuile cookies.

Macaron Berry Sherry Trifle

A great macaron Valentine dessert for 2. Serve in a large glass serving dish with 2 spoons! The macarons replace traditional trifle sponges making this gluten free.

Mango Creams

This is such a quick and easy mango cream recipe. More like a mousse, they're healthy without any added sugar and full of flavour with coconut. Serve with coconut macaroons, mendiants or strawberries.

They're so easy, great also for a crowd, and keep well for 2-3 days.

Crêpes

These classic thin French pancakes are always the perfect treat for any occasion. Particularly great for a Galentine's breakfast or dessert, as February 14th usually falls around the same time as Mardi Gras! Enjoy with all sorts of typical fillings or toppings you'll find in Paris.

Top with sugar and lemon, homemade apricot jam, crème de marrons (chestnut and vanilla spread) or orange curd and serve with a few chopped strawberries or raspberries. However, our personal favourite Valentine crêpe dessert is with salted caramel sauce. For a chocolate version, see below.

Pistachio Tarts

Make individual tartlets or a large Strawberry and Pistachio Tart. Made with the most sumptuous pistachio pastry cream with homemade paste. Top with a strawberry or a chocolate.

Orange Cheesecake

The perfect treat for citrus season, with a homemade cinnamon crust on this orange cheesecake. Busy gourmets can also make this with crushed Biscoff cookies (instructions on the recipe). Great served with mango sauce.

Quick French Apple Tart

This French Apple Tart with puff pastry looks more impressive in the looks department and yet is simple to make. We use ready-made puff. No fancy toppings - just apple slices, some butter and sugar sprinkled on top before baking.

Tarte au Citron

This is the ultimate French lemon tart. Without any cream in sight, this is made with the best, seasonal lemons. Frankly, this is the kind of tarte au citron you'll find in some of the best Parisian pastry shops. Either make one large Valentine dessert for a crowd or make tartlets.

Brandy Snaps

Remember Brandy Snaps, the retro crispy caramel wafer-like tubes filled with light whipped cream? Give them a twist with mint, lime and rum and turn them into Mojito Snaps! They’re a lot easier to make than you think and great for advance prep. Just fill on the day nearer the time using a piping bag.

Roasted Pineapple with Vanilla

It's hot! Easy recipe for sliced roasted pineapple – oven baked in a sticky vanilla, ginger, cayenne pepper/chilli caramel with dark rum. Cut out love hearts in the middle of each slice. Great with coconut macaroons.

Pear and Almond Bourdaloue Tart

I have many more apple tarts - but seduce your Valentine with the ultimate Parisian Bourdaloue tart or make little tartlets. A classic pear and almond tart found in many patisseries, it has been glazed around Paris since the 1900s.

Blueberry and Lemon Clafoutis

Enjoy a Blueberry Lemon Clafoutis by the slice or make this in individual ramekins, cooking for half the time. Again, either with fresh or frozen blueberries and the best lemons you can find.

Vacherin Glacé

This popular French ice cream cake (Vacherin) is ideal for a Valentine's Day treat. A celebratory dessert (gluten free), it's often found in the freezer cabinets in French pâtisseries. To make your own, just add a tub of sorbet, meringue and whipped cream.

Chocolate Pear Cake

Great for a party, see if you can keep an extra slice of this chocolate pear cake! It goes fast.

Lava Cakes

For a melting heart of dark, bittersweet chocolate, make these easy individual lava cakes (moelleux au chocolat). Say 'mwa-le o'shokolah' in your most romantic French accent and they're made in just under 30 minutes! Add a few raspberries or pomegranate seeds.

Halve the recipe's quantity for a dessert for two - with one left to share together. Prepare the batter and have them ready in the moulds just before dessert. When ready to serve, bake for no more than 8 minutes.

Chocolate Beet Cake

This chocolate beet cake is my healthy French answer to red velvet chocolate cake. The recipe is both gluten free and reduced in butter and sugar! Incredibly fudgy, fondant and moist, there’s no need for any frosting or creamy filling. Similar, have you tried a purple carrot cake?

No Bake Chocolate Puddings

These easy, make ahead no-bake chocolate puddings are topped with cream and cherries soaked in Kirsch. They're delicious served with macarons with a chocolate cherry ganache.

French Chocolate Mousse

Our favourite classic recipe for French chocolate mousse without the cream. Just pure melted dark chocolate and whipped egg whites. Also on video.

White Chocolate Mousse with Rose

A fluffy and light white chocolate mousse with rose and orange blossom for that romantic French touch. Healthy with no added sugar, this is great on its own or as part of a bigger dessert below. Serve with pink macaron shells for something special.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta

Love pink and roses at Valentines? Then make this white chocolate panna cotta with rose. Frozen dark cherries work well when fresh are not in season. The taste combination is wonderful.

Add a heart-shaped macaron or two to add the perfect finale to this gluten-free dessert. Here's how to pipe out macaron hearts.

Passion Fruit Chocolate Mousse

Add some passion fruit to make these chocolate mousses with passion. Top with nougatine, which can keep days longer to linger on delicious moments.

French Hot Chocolate

It's perhaps the ultimate love potion: French Hot Chocolate. This recipe is similar to the chocolat chaud served in the top Parisian cafés and only has 4 ingredients. Made with good quality chocolate, it's a dessert in itself.

What's more, for the perfect romantic Paris weekend, be inspired with tons of my local choices by landmark or area in my Guide to the best tearooms in Paris.

Honey and Lemon Cookies

Honey Biscuits with Lemon - deliciously easy cookies with an extra glaze of honey.

Raspberry and Rose Macarons

The most scrumptious raspberry and rose macarons are filled with fresh raspberries in a white chocolate ganache. With a subtle hint of rose, these are the kind of macarons we see in Parisian patisseries and, most importantly, are fondant and not too sweet.

Mendiant Chocolates

Mendiants are traditional French chocolate disks topped with dried fruits and nuts . It's the perfect gift that you can add your loved one's favourite toppings.

Salted Caramel Macarons

Why is it that salt added to caramel is so agonisingly addictive in these salted caramel macarons? As a result, this must be the most popular macaron flavour, confirmed by the Parisian pâtisseries in my Top 20 Best Macarons in Paris.

Full recipe extract from my 2nd book, Teatime in Paris. My books are no longer in print as of 2025 but I'm excited to announce my new e-book series, coming out soon! Be the first to know by joining my exclusive waiting list!