Whoever thought up the idea of brunch was certainly onto something. The idea of a leisurely wake up followed by a meal that is neither breakfast nor lunch but sits somewhere gloriously in between is the perfect way to indulge this Valentine’s Day. And don’t forget it isn’t really a brunch unless you add a glass of something indulgent. If you’re considering planning a special brunch for your significant other this Valentine’s, here are just a few of our favourite sweet and savoury Valentine’s brunch recipes that we hope you will love as well.
HEART SHAPED PANCAKES
Pancakes are the perfect brunch food, and what could be better for Valentine’s brunch than to make them heart shaped for your true love? Whip up a batch of your favourite American style pancake batter and then use a heart shaped cookie cutter to pour the mixture in to your frying pan. Or, if you are feeling brave, pop the batter into a piping bag and create freehand style heart shapes. Or, you can make life easier and use a perfect pancake pan, then use the toppings to make heart shaped decorations instead!
The great thing about pancakes is they are great with both savoury and sweet toppings so you can easily customise them. Berries and maple syrup work really well for a sweet fix, or if you prefer savoury pancakes indulge with crispy bacon and maple syrup, and maybe some fresh avocado for an extra twist.
SHAKSHUKA
Get your Valentine’s Day off to a spicy start with this North African dish of mild spiced tomatoes, peppers and perfectly cooked eggs. You can cook the tomato base for Shakshuka the evening before and pop it in an airtight container in the fridge to make cooking your Valentine’s brunch a little easier if you wanted to. Don’t forget to serve some warmed crusty bread on the side to mop up all that fantastic sauce.
A FRY UP WITH A DIFFERENCE
Sometimes only proper cooked breakfast will do, but for that extra indulgent touch, that’s lighter on the oil and much easier to put together why not try this Big Breakfast with Asparagus. The first thing you will notice is that this Valentine’s brunch is cooked in the oven rather than fried which means a lot less washing up – always a plus point. You can even use an oven liner to protect your oven to make sure oven cleaning isn’t on your to-do list for the big day! Asparagus is a surprisingly great pairing with a runny egg and bacon, making this breakfast just that little bit more brunch-like.
EGGS BENEDICT
A self-indulgent brunch classic that is well worth the effort, Eggs Benedict is a great recipe to master. Once you have the basics – hollandaise and the perfect poaching of an egg – you can easily swap the ham or bacon of an Eggs Benedict for smoked salmon to make it Eggs Royale, or wilted spinach for Eggs Florentine. This is a stunning Valentine’s Brunch dish that would be perfect for a truly romantic start to this special day.
FRITTATA
If you love cooking and adore omelettes, then why not indulge and create a stunning Frittata for an extra special Valentine’s Brunch with your loved one. There are some fantastic frittata recipes out there and this one will give you the basics, how you customise it is entirely up to you.
WAFFOGATO
Don’t let the name put you off this clever combination mixes soft buttery homemade waffles with indulgent vanilla ice cream and strong hot coffee in a waffles meets Affogato explosion. The combination might sound a little unusual, but Affogato has been a staple on Italian menus for a long time now, and the Italians certainly know something about romance so trust them on this.
FRENCH TOAST
Whether you call it French toast, eggy bread or (if you are being posh) Pain Perdu, this is a delicious brunch recipe, that much like pancakes can be made in either a sweetened or savoury form. This indulgent recipe for French Toast will give you the basics, and how you serve it is up to you. If you can’t find Challah bread, which is an enriched sweetened loaf then use Brioche, which is readily available in most supermarkets.
BEETROOT ROSTI WITH GREEN YOGHURT AND SMOKED SALMON
Indulge all of your senses at once with this dish that brings a beautiful rainbow of colours to your plate. The combination may sound a little unusual, but it really works and is certainly worth the effort. This is a brunch that is worthy of any of the top hotels so why not treat your loved one to something incredibly indulgent to show them just how special they are.
STEAK AND EGGS
If you want a cooked breakfast with a difference then why not try Steak and eggs, an American breakfast staple. This is a relatively simple dish to prepare but has all the wow factor of any of the other recipes on our list. Cooked well and from the heart this is a dish to woo your partner with.
BRUNCH BOARD
Boards are all the rage at the moment, including dessert boards, cheese boards or charcuterie boards so why not put together a special brunch board for your loved one? You will find some great suggestions here, but really the sky is the limit when it comes to putting one of these together so think about all those things you really love eating. You could plate up favourite fruits, some nuts, breakfast pastries, and of course some chocolate for dipping. This makes a really great sharing dish that is absolutely perfect for a very special Valentine’s brunch.
STRAWBERRY MIMOSA
As we have already mentioned it really isn’t brunch without something indulgent to drink and a Strawberry Mimosa with its beautiful pink colour is certainly Valentine’s day brunch worthy. If you are not keen on strawberries or you can’t, get your hands on some nice strawberries at this time of year then why not try a more traditional recipe which uses citrus juice as the fruit base.
A Mimosa is similar to a Bucks Fizz in that it’s a mix of something bubbly and fresh juice however a Bucks Fizz mixes 1 part fruit to 2 of alcohol and a Mimosa has these the other way round to create something more fruity and less alcoholic.
We loved all these recipes and hope you will too. Which will you be trying?
MORE VALENTINE’S DAY MEAL IDEAS
If you fancy some more extra-tasty recipes, explore some more delicious Valentine’s dishes here.