The way to the heart...

Yet another Valentine’s Day is here and the City is decked up in red, pink and white. While some are shopping for gifts, others are busy splurging on goodies. Since the way to someone’s heart is through the stomach, there are some who are churning out options ranging from cute and classy cupcakes to exquisitely designed cakes. From popular outlets to home bakers, there is something for everyone to indulge in.

Most bakers would agree that the three elementary colours for Valentine’s Day are white, pink and red. “We make cookies and cupcakes in vanilla and chocolate flavour. Most of the work done on them are in fondant. In cookies, we try to make interesting shapes like envelopes and hearts. And in cupcakes, we make unique designs including rose bouquets with fondant work,” says Katherene from Ms K Cupcakes - Kathy’s. Different themes including lips, hearts, ‘xoxo’ and are all used to make these treats. “We even make heart-shaped cookies which look like an owl,” she says.

She adds that many people like to personalise the cupcakes by adding their loved one’s names on them. “This adds the special touch,” says Katherene.

Flavours of the day are often around red velvet and chocolate. “Red velvet is the favourite as red depicts the theme well. I’m also using raspberry flavour and chocolate in cupcakes and cakes. In all the cakes and cupcakes, I try my best to incorporate little hearts to make it apt for the day. I also do edible additions like adding names or faces or two birds, in fondant,” says Rina Chakravarty from ‘Sweet Tooth’.

She adds that she has also made chocolate mousse with edible heart decorations and rose bouquet cakes which are heart shaped in coloured cream. “The shapes vary according to the theme. Hearts and roses in pink, red and white dominate most of the creations,” she adds.

There are NGOs like Raise Empower Women Around (REWA) which have dished out unique offerings for V-Day. “We hit upon the idea of making chocolate roses and bouquets, to popularise the chocolates that the women who work with us were making,” says Abhishek Saran, director of REWA. He adds that these items are available in dark and milk chocolates.

“These bouquets have a personal feel,” he says.

Many outlet brands like ‘Mad Over Donuts’ (MOD) have brought out Valentine offerings like donuts to fit the day’s needs. There are three new heart-shaped donut flavours centered on the theme of love — ‘Pretty In Pink’, ‘Your Heart’s Desire’ and ‘Hot Pink Love’, in flavours like strawberry and chocolate.

“These flavours are the hot favourites of the day. We always try to bring out different flavours every year,” says Shoukat Ali, F&B manager with MOD, Orion Mall.

Apart from cupcakes and cakes, which are most popular, other interesting delights like cake pops and macaroons are options to surprise your beloved with. Shisham Hinduja from Happy Belly Bakes, says that not many items are particularly designed for the day.

“We twist all the items we make into the theme, to fit in. We have delectable choices in cake-pops and lollipops to suit one’s taste,” she says. Shisham adds that macaroons in fillings like passion fruit, cream cheese and strawberry are other sweet choices for the day.