It’s Dinner Thyme! For this week’s blog we’ll be talking about…you guessed it, Valentine’s Day!

The day to celebrate all that is love and friendship, especially between love birds.

If you have been looking for a meaningful and unique gift that can’t just be bought in every store, you have to come to the right place.

The following recipe is for cheesecake filled chocolate dipped strawberries. They are great to make together as a couple, for each other or anyone you want to show a little love towards.

Now, both chocolate and strawberries are foods known as aphrodisiacs. If a bigger spark of romance is what you are looking for, then this is the recipe for you. If not, we still suggest you give this recipe a spin. It’s too delicious to pass.

Here’s a twist to one of the tastiest and most popular Valentine’s Day desserts. With just a little effort, this recipe will impress your sweetheart and guarantee you two a romantic and fun day.

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Time: 1 hour

Cost: $15

What you’ll need:

-1lb of fresh strawberries (consider grabbing an organic bunch at CSUN’s Farmer’s Market)

– 4 oz. of low fat cream cheese, softened

– ½ tbsp. of sour cream

– ½ cup of powdered sugar

– ½ tsp. of vanilla extract (imitation vanilla extract works just fine)

– 2 tbsp. of crushed graham crackers

– ½ cup of milk chocolate chips

-1 tbsp. of vegetable oil

What to do:

1.) Wash the strawberries and pat them dry with a paper towel.

2.) Using a small spoon, dig a hole, starting from the stem, in the middle of each strawberry, creating a sort of well.

3.) In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer or whisk until fluffy.

4.) Slowly, add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until fully smooth and combined.

5.) Spoon the mixture into sandwich bag and cut a tiny slit (about a 1/2 of an inch) on one corner of the bag.

6.) Squeeze the mixture in each of the strawberries, letting a little stick out. Place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and put them in the refrigerator until ready for dipping.

7.) Time to create a double boiler. Fill a small pot with about an inch of water and let it come to a boil. Place metal medium sized bowl on top of the pot. Pour the chocolate chips and vegetable oil into the bowl and mix with rubber spatula slowly until completely melted. Turn off the stove, but leave bowl on top of pot to keep the chocolate warm. WARNING: Do not add liquid to the chocolate chips or they will get clumpy.

8.) Time for the fun part. Dip the strawberry about half way in the chocolate to fully cover the bottom. Place on a waxed paper lined baking sheet and let them cool. You can either eat them right away or place them in the refrigerator and pop them out when ready to eat. Enjoy!

The strawberries were a huge hit with my boyfriend and my entire household. The sweetness of the cheesecake filling, coupled with the freshness of the strawberry and the hint of bitterness of the chocolate, is everything one looks for in a good dessert. Be careful! They are super addicting.

For you over 21 year olds out there, pair this dessert with a nice glass of wine and boom! You have yourself a sexy Valentine’s Day.

So, we hope this gem adds a sweet and seductive touch to your Valentine’s Day!