Last minute Valentine's Day Gift To Make At Home

Run out of time and looking for a last minute Valentine's Day gift to make at home?

Why not try baking some homemade chocolate chip cookies. With real chocolate coupled with the tang of cranberry and pomegranate these cookies are a lovely Valentine gift for him or her. And with all that chocolate and what more says Valentine than chocolate?

The fruit inclusion is a lovely offset from the sugar and the chocolate. We chose to use some lovely, beautiful quality Pomegranate seeds (arils) we purchased online. We included some cranberry for colour and flavour.  For the romantics, the Pomegranate has a myth surrounding it. The first pomegranate tree according to myth was planted by Aphrodite the Goddess of Love. Bottom line, it seems like adding some Pomegranate to your Valentine's Day Gift is the way to go.

Including cranberries  adds a lovely flavour juxtaposition that offsets any sweetness. If you're baking Valentines cookies at home because you genuinely are really out of time, then you can also use any dried fruit. Just remember that sweeter fruit will make for a sweet cookie.

Cookies are relatively quick to make at home and a fabulous last minute Valentine's Day gift. With preparation and including baking the whole process is about 45 minutes.

Valentine's Day Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Dark Chocolate 110 g ( save about 20g to add to the top of the cookies)

Rolled Oats 100g

110g Sugar

100g Brown Sugar

Egg 1

Butter Salted 130g

Pure Vanilla - 1 teaspoon

Cake Flour 210g 

Baking Powder 2 g

Bicarb 2 g

Dried Cranberry 25 g

Pomegranate 25g

 Method:

1. Preheat oven to 165C
2. Line baking tray with baking paper or silicone cookie mat
3. Food Process Oats to a milled consistency - set aside
4. Chop 90 g of the chocolate ( reserve remainder as whole chips) to pieces- set aside
5. Roughly chop the cranberries and set aside
6. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed
7. Add vanilla and egg and just mix in - don't over aerate
8. Fold in flour
9. Add bicarb, baking powder, milled oats and again just mix in - don't over aerate
10. Remove mixer bowl and add the pomegranate ( reserve a few pomegranate seeds to place on top of cookies) and chopped cranberry and fold in to mix
11. Fold in chopped chocolate chips
12. Use a dessert spoon to form cookie balls about 5cm is diameter
13. Press a few each of the reserved chocolate chips( un chopped)  into the top of each cookie
14. If you have extra press a few of the Pomegranate seeds on top of each cookie.
15. Place in oven and bake for around 17-18 mins.
16. Cool on a cookie cooling rack
17. Enjoy with your Valentine!

The cookie has a lovely grainy, open texture. There are plenty of chocolate chips to really enjoy this cookie. There's nothing worse than a chocolate chip cookie without enough chips!  Any sweetness of the cookie is offset by the slight tang of the cranberry and pomegranate. 

If you're looking for some Brownie Points and a last minute Valentine's gift then why not go ahead and bake these cookies.  

If you dont have  time to bake cookies and need a last minute Valentine's Day gift then Dello Mano is open for online Valentine gifts. Browse the Valentine's Day Collection. Order online for Valentine gift delivery or pick up. Our pick up is open Monday at Wintergarden Brisbane City Cake & Brownie Shop, New Farm Cake & Brownie Shop and also you can pick up at our new Click and collect located at the Coffee Commune ( Bowen Hills) . Both of our stores will be open on Valentines Day with brownies, brownie hearts, cookie hearts and cake gifts.