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‘G-ALDI’ ARE TREATING YOU AND YOUR GAL PALS THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

Say no to romantic, candlelit meals for two this week because supermarket Aldi has better plans in mind for you and your gal pals this 13^th February – Galentines Day. From cheese boards and hot chocolate, to truffles and bubbly, you ‘ca-mem-bert’ to be without these treats!

 
Spread the love amongst you and your girlfriends by creating your own cheese board, inspired by some of Aldi’s finest products. Build a board fit for a queen with Aldi’s Specially Selected Brie (£1.79, 165g), tangy Specially Selected Spanish Manchego (£1.99, 175g) and, just because Galentines Day isn’t cheesy enough, why not add a crumbly Specially Selected French Roquefort (£1.79, 125g) to make all of your dairy dreams come true.
 
Once you’re all cheesed out, treat the girls to something a little sweeter with Aldi’s Moser Roth Marc de Champagne or Pink Himalayan Salted Caramel Truffles (£2.99, 140g). These are perfect for sharing, alongside a creamy cup of Aldi’s Specially Selected Luxury Drinking Chocolate, also available in Salted Caramel (£1.99) or toast your friendship with a glass or two of Rosé-Spumante (£5.79, 75cl).
 
If you and your gals would prefer to put your baking skills to the test, Aldi’s Valentine’s Day shared dessert recipes will guide the way:
 
CAKE POPS
 
12 cake pops for parties and special occasions. Made with angel cake and white chocolate.

Ingredients
 
298g Holly Lane Angel Cake
120g The Pantry Icing Sugar
60g Cowbelle Unsalted Butter, softened
1 tsp The Pantry Vanilla Extract (be sparing as this could split the chocolate)
1 tsp Milk
 
To decorate
 
250g White Chocolate
1-2 drops Pink Food Colouring (be sparing as this could split the chocolate)
The Pantry Sprinkles
 
12 Lollipop sticks
 
Method
 
Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and icing sugar, along with the milk and vanilla extract, until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
 
In a separate bowl, break up the angel cake into crumbs and then add into the buttercream and mix until smooth. Use your hands to roll the mixture into 12 golf-ball-sized balls and place a lollipop stick into each one.
 
Leave the cake pops to cool for at least half an hour until firm. When they have hardened, gradually melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second blasts until smooth and then add 1-2 drops of food colouring. Dip the cake pops into the melted chocolate to coat them and then top with sprinkles. Leave to harden in the fridge and then serve.
 
BAKED DOUGHNUTS WITH VANILLA GLAZE
 
6 homemade doughnuts dipped in icing sugar. Enjoy warm or cold.
Ingredients
 
125g The Pantry Self Raising Flour
150g The Pantry Caster Sugar
1 tsp The Pantry Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
125ml Cowbelle Whole Milk
1 x medium Egg
2 tbsp melted Butter, plus extra to grease the tin
1 tsp The Pantry Vanilla Extract
 
1 x doughnut baking tin – if you don’t have a doughnut tin you can make 12 mini doughnuts in a muffin/cupcake tin (place a small ball of tin foil in the middle of each well to create the hole)
 
To decorate
 
100g The Pantry Icing Sugar
2 tbsp cold Water
½ tsp The Pantry Vanilla Extract 
1-2 drops Pink Food Colouring
The Pantry Sprinkles
 
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5.
Grease the doughnut tin well using the additional butter.
Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl – the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Then whisk together the wet ingredients – milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Pour the batter into the wells of the baking tin – they should be just over ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. They are cooked when a toothpick comes out clean.
The doughnuts will be delicate when they first come out of the oven, so leave them to cool for 10 minutes and then carefully remove them from the tin and leave to fully cool on a rack.
When they have cooled, mix the icing sugar, water, vanilla extract and food colouring together. The icing should be thick enough to coat the doughnuts without running off. Either dip the doughnuts into the icing or carefully spoon the icing over them and then top with the sprinkles.