Valentine Treats

since it is valentines day, i would like to add a few quick ideas for treats.

Chocolate-Malt Ricotta Balls
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
1 tablespoon hot cocoa mix
1 teaspoon malted-milk powder
mix all ingredients and form into balls. refrigerate to harden.

Fruit Dipped in Chocolate
in a double boiler, melt chocolate chunks or chocolate chips. choose your favorite fruit (strawberries, bananas, oranges, cherries, blueberries, apple, etc.) and dip into chocolate. set on waxed paper and place in refrigerator to allow to chill. serve immediately.

Hot Cocoa Mix

1 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup dried egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
6” cinnamon sticks (optional) for garnish
Black tea bags

In a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the dry milk powder, sugar, cocoa, egg white powder, cinnamon, allspice, clove, ginger, and black pepper, making sure all the tiny clumps are broken up. Spoon the mixture into a jar, and seal tightly.

This mix is intended to be used with 1 percent milk to make hot chocolate, or a tea bag for making chai. If giving this mix as a gift, include instructions for using 1 to 2 teaspoons, according to taste, per serving.

Makes 2 1/2 cups mix.

For chai, brew one tea bag in a cup or mug of hot milk. Remove the tea bag and stir in the mix. Add a cinnamon stick as a stirrer, if desired.

For hot chocolate, place the mix in a mug and gradually stir in hot milk. Add a cinnamon stick as a stirrer, if desired, or 2-3 drops of vanilla extract, or 1 drop of almond extract.

For Hot Mocha, mix 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso into the Hot Chocolate.