Forgot Valentine's Day? If the worst cyclone to hit New Zealand in living memory isn't enough to get you off the hook, these easy chocolate recipes might help restore some domestic harmony.
There's no cooking nor any chocolate required for these No Bake Gluten Free Chocolate Truffles, which will also help keep any kids at home busy (at least momentarily). If the power's out and the truffles are too soft to roll, just eat the mixture straight from the bowl.
Photo: Anna Chinn
If you can melt chocolate (using the barbecue, a gas cooker, or the warmth of your still-beating heart) you can make this 70s Throwback Vegan Chocolate Mousse. Again, if you can't chill the mousse to set it, just dig in with a spoon.
You'll need electricity, but there's no chocolate needed for Dame Alison Holst's Crazy Chocolate Cake, nor any eggs.
Got a barbecue, a few squares of chocolate and some bananas? Then you've got all the fixings for Baked Bananas With Chocolate (since they're cooked in their skins you don't even have to clean the barbecue first unless acts of service are your love language).
Christchurch food writer Sarah Burtscher recommends high-energy foods like peanut butter and chocolate in trying times. Go for the double with these Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies, which require just three magic main ingredients (PB, chocolate and sugar, and a touch of baking soda). You'll also need electricity, but in these trying times no one would judge you for eating the raw mixture.
If all else fails, make a donation to a local food bank in the name of your beloved instead. Sharing the love is the ultimate Valentine's Day gesture, isn't it?
