This Valentine’s day, express your love through these signature desserts that will help make your night special. Whether you’re bringing a dish to a friendly get together, or creating an intimate meal for your date, these recipes will help elevate your evening with each bite.
Chocolate and strawberries are always delicious, but this year, create a memorable end to a meal with RiceSelect® desserts. From simple classics to culinary creations, discover unique desserts that will enhance your kitchen creativity no matter your skill level.
1. Go for a Classic Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is a decadent dessert full of tradition and comfort. Indulge in the harmonious blend of creamy rice and aromatic spices, guaranteed to delight the senses. A seemingly simple treat can be decadent with the right ingredients. With our premium rice you have the perfect canvas to unleash your culinary creativity: customize this creamy dessert to your liking with fruits, nuts and spices.
There are many variations on this rice-based dessert, but nothing hits home quite like this Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding Recipe. The contrast of the silky vanilla and rice paired with aromatic spices like nutmeg and cinnamon will have anyone falling in love before it’s even finished cooking.
Of course, there are many ways to change this classic recipe up with other tasty toppings.
If you’re looking for something different, try this Indian Style Sweet Sticky Rice Pudding. The beautiful blend of aromatic Indian spices will compliment the creamy sticky rice, making it the perfect dish to indulge in with your date.
What is Sticky Rice?
A popular dessert in many Asian cuisines, particularly in the Southeast, Sweet Sticky Rice is an easy but flavorful dessert that can be enhanced with quality ingredients and some creativity. Our glutinous – but Gluten Free – RiceSelect® Sushi Rice will add a uniquely sticky quality to the dish. The short-grain rice will finish cooking with a creamy yet malleable texture, making it perfect for dishes such as Japanese rice balls and mochi.
2. Try Some Fresh and Fruity Favorites
After a heavy dinner, fruit-forward desserts offer a delicate and refreshing end to the evening.
For a naturally vegan treat, this Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut is full of fresh tropical fruit , boasting tangy flavors that everyone will love. Or for something more aromatic and indulgent, make this quick Sticky Rice with Caramelized Bananas.
Caramelization Tip: How do you get the caramelization just right? It’s a chemical reaction that is the result of heating sugar until it browns, creating a distinct flavor, aroma and caramel color for a wide variety of dishes.
Balanced with the creamy rice, dry sherry, and indulgent pound cake, this White Chocolate Raspberry Rice Trifle is an elegant way to end the night. Topped with raspberries, or any of your choosing, each bite will be full of love and dynamic flavor.
Using Sherry in Desserts: A fortified wine originating from the Jerez region of Spain, Sherry is a unique way to add complexity and depth to your desserts. There are different varieties that range from dry and nutty to sweet and rich, allowing you to find the perfect pairing for your tastes.
Hosting a dinner party to share the love? This Peach Curd and Raspberry Rice Pudding Parfait is the perfect Valentine’s or Galentine’s day dish that will impress your guests. Try topping with oranges and passion fruit instead of berries to keep it seasonal and fresh.
3. Create Unique Cakes and Tortes
Get creative with these dessert recipes that will inspire you to think about rice in a different way.
Cakes: Our recipes challenge you to get inspired and expand your culinary ideas in the kitchen, combining ingredients together to create something new. Using rice in cake adds moisture and creates a unique texture to your dessert, elevating a simple cake to a new level.
Using Liqueur in Desserts
There are many liqueurs that pair nicely with a range of desserts. It all comes down to desired flavor profile and personal preference, but Valentine’s is a great reason to bring out that bottle of Frangelico that has been in the back of your liquor cabinet for months.
Guide to Liqueur pairings: Choosing a liqueur for your dessert comes down to the flavor pairings and personal taste. Here is a quick guide to know what will compliment what, to create the perfect match.
Amaretto: An almond forward liqueur with hints of cherries, plums, herbs and cocoa, this Italian spirit is perfect to pair with desserts that tend to have a basic base of ingredients such as muffins, this Amaretto Rice Cheesecake Recipe, and other cakes. Adding it to an already complex flavor profile can overwhelm the dish and make the addition redundant.
Orange Liqueurs: While commonly used in a classic margarita, orange liqueurs like Cointreau and Triple Sec can be a bright addition to cakes, sorbet, folded into a whipped cream, or paired with chocolate for a stunning contrast. While there are many options at the liquor store, remember that you would want to serve your guests the same quality in their dessert as you would serve them in a drink!
Coffee Liqueurs: There are a number of delicious drinks and desserts that incorporate these liqueurs. Coffee liqueurs like Kahlua and Tia Maria are perfect for cakes, cookies and Tiramisu. Perhaps best paired with Chocolate for a rich combination everyone loves, you can add this spirit to a number of recipes, such as this Black Russian Rice Pudding Cake Recipe.
Cream Liqueurs: For a nutty and creamy addition to your desserts, Baileys and Frangelico offer a delicious flavor profile. These creamy and indulgent spirits are great in mousse, fudge, a number of dessert drinks, and of course, added to your coffee for an extra kick!
Tortes: A type of denser and nuttier cake, tortes are typically made to be filled with whipped cream, chocolate, fruit and more.
This simple Arborio Silk Torte Recipe is made with few ingredients but packed with a delicious, creamy flavor that isn’t overpowered with sugar. Choose your favorite liquor like rum or brandy to add a balanced bitterness, and top with whipped cream and berries for a picture-worthy presentation. For something sweeter, our Almond Joy Rice Torte Recipe will have your date head over heels indulging in the beautiful mix of chocolate, coconut and almond flavors.
4. Use Sugar and Spice
Add a little bit of spice to your romantic evening with these creative rice puddings that will make your kitchen smell like fall in February. Serve your dessert in an elegant glass dish that will invite your guest back to the table for more. For a personalized touch, create small valentine cards with hole punches, and tie them around the glass serving cups with ribbon. A sweet hand-written note will elevate the table setting and make the evening more memorable.
Made with our Jasmati® Rice, this warm and inviting Chai Spice and Apple Rice Pudding Recipe is pleasing to all senses. The creamy texture of the rice pudding and harmonious mix of spiced chai – a black tea blend with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns – and apple will leave everyone satisfied, yet longing for more.
For another warm spice mixture, opt for a seasonal favorite: a blend of Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and ginger. Though pumpkin spice is typically associated with the fall, the nostalgic flavors don’t have to be reserved to one season. Make this indulgent Pumpkin Spice Latte Rice Pudding Recipe topped with whipped cream that will invite your valentine into the kitchen just from its spiced distinct aroma.
5. Do Something Different
Valentine’s Day should be about breaking routine and creating romance through trying new things.
Sweet and Salty: If you or your date don’t have much of a sweet tooth, finish your meal with something savory. A restaurant worthy combo, salty cheese and sweetness are a complimentary match made in food heaven. Because of the flavor contrast, the saltiness and fat content of the cheese brings out the sweetness, creating a dynamic and complex flavor experience that will satisfy any guest at your table. Note how the irresistible combination of salty cheeses with a hint of nutty sweetness in this Caramelized Onion, Smoked Gouda and Pecan Rice Tart Recipe.
Cool Things Down: Keep on the sweet side and try our Toasted Pecan Rice Cream Recipe for a unique way to use Sushi rice that will inspire you to get creative with textures and desserts.
Bring your home chef skills to the table and show your love through a delicious selection of rice recipes this Valentines. Cooking for the ones you love can be time consuming, but our recipes will help you make it all worth it with a memorable evening shared at the dinner table. Learn How to Build a Menu for a Special Dinner with RiceSelect® and elevate your evening to a new level.