Hot and Steamy Coffee Recipes For Your Valentine

What’s hot, sweet and all worked up into a frothy lather? Either YOU, you romantic minx, or the Valentine’s Day coffee you whipped up for your luvah. *If I ever called my husband “luvah” he’d look over his shoulder to see who I was talking to....

Whether you end a romantic meal with a steamy, creamy cuppa joe savoured in front of a roaring fire or you just want to create a little something special for a Valentine’s brunch, coffee drinks are always a sweet treat.

Here are a few simple ways to add a shot of “I love you” to your favourite cafe concoctions.

Flavoured Syrups: Sweeten your brew with hazelnut, vanilla or raspberry (yummy with cream) syrup. If you’re truly adventurous (I’m talking to you “Minxy”), grab a can of whipped cream and the syrup and continue the party in the boudoir. Clearly I’ve been married too long since this notion makes me cringe just imagining the potential laundry involved...

Dessert Coffee: Combine two faves—coffee and a rich dessert like Black Forest cake.

Black Forest Brew:

Add a few tablespoons of dark chocolate syrup and a splash of maraschino cherry juice to a mug of hot coffee and stir. Top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a cherry.

Bailey’s Coffee: Coffee + Bailey’s. Need I say more?

Also try:

• topping with fresh whipped cream with a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce
• dust the whipped cream with pink sugar or top with candied hearts
• rimming an Irish Coffee mug with pink coloured sugar
• topping coffee with frothy steamed milk and stencilling on a cocoa heart 

The folks at Hamilton Beach Canada gave me a Scoop™ 2-Way Brewer to try. It has a programmable timer—essential for zombies like me who don’t actually wake until about 40  minutes AFTER they get up. You have the option of setting the strength to regular or bold brew (like that's a hard decision) and the auto pause and serve function is essential for the days when I literally can’t wait for the pot to be ready.

What exactly makes it a 2-way? If you don’t need a full pot—maybe you just need a large travel mug-full to get you through carpool duty—you can use the 1 Cup Single Serve side which brews up to 14 oz. right into a travel mug.

I have a The Scoop 2-Way Brewer to give away to one of my readers, just in time for Valentine’s Day! Be still my heart.

Leave a comment below stating your favourite way to enjoy a cup of coffee, e.g., black, flavoured, etc. and you'll be entered to win a The Scoop™ 2-Way Brewer from Hamilton Beach Canada.

Yummy Rules and Regs:You must be a Yummy Mummy Club member to win. Click to sign up!  It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until Midnight, Tuesday, February 7th, 2012. Contest open to Canadian residents only. Winners will be chosen using www.random.org.

For more information about Hamilton Beach products visit Hamilton Beach Canada online, follow @HBCanadaNews on Twitter and use the #TheScoop hashtag, or visit them on Facebook.

Disclosure: I was given a coffee maker to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

This contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner --> Tonya Cowle