Whether you are single or taken, Galentine’s is the perfect occasion to celebrate the female friendships in your life. Alongside heart-shaped decorations or matching pyjamas, these recipes can be prepared ahead of your dinner party or made together as part of the fun! So message the group chat or send out heart-shaped invitations if you’re feeling extra creative, and follow these recipes for a cosy, wholesome night with your gals.  

Raspberry Galentine’s Spritz: 

Once you’ve decorated the table with all things heart-shaped and pink, what better way to get the girly gossip flowing than with a delicious cocktail? Fruity and crisp, this Raspberry Galentine’s Spritz tastes gorgeous and creates a picture-perfect look to enhance your Instagrammable setup. This recipe is guaranteed to delight your guests, whether you are looking to get a little tipsy with your besties or enjoy a refreshing cocktail to accompany a hearty meal.

Ingredients (for a group of 6):

• Ice
• 1 punnet of raspberries
• 1 lemon 
• 150ml of raspberry vodka (alternatively, normal vodka if you prefer) 
• 4 tsp of granulated sugar (+1 tsp for decoration)
• 750ml of cranberry juice 
• A litre of soda water or lemonade  

Recipe: 

1) Pour in a few ice cubes (if you really want to impress your guests use love heart-shaped ice cubes!) 

2) Crush the raspberries until they resemble a jam-like substance.  

3)  Add a 150ml measure of raspberry vodka to the raspberry mixture. 

4)  Add a generous squeeze of lemon and 4 tsp of granulated sugar.   

5) Next, pour in the cranberry juice (raspberry juice can be used instead but cranberry is more accessible in the shops).  

6) Pour the mixture equally into 6 separate cocktail glasses. 

7) Top each glass with soda water, or alternatively if you and your guests would prefer a sweeter touch, use lemonade.  

8) Lastly, for those aesthetic pics, add a sugared rim and decorate with raspberries- frozen fruit adds a fresh cold touch, and is cheaper for the student budget!  

Alternatively, if you own a cocktail shaker, you can add all the ingredients and extra ice to create a frozen treat!   

Words by Emmie Sainsbury

Heart-Shaped Pizzas

As the cocktails are flowing, and the convos too, you’re probably all feeling a little peckish! Heart shaped pizzas are a Galentine’s classic that just have to be done. They are cheap, easy and entirely adorable, as well as providing dinner party entertainment for all your guests as everyone crafts their own unique pizza.

Ingredients

• Pizza dough (shop-bought or homemade)
• Pizza sauce (again shop-bought or homemade)
• Cheese of choice (personally I prefer mozzarella)
• Toppings you love (think onions, olives, mushrooms, peppers, pepperoni, or whatever suits your crowd!)

Method

1. Start by placing your dough onto a lined baking tray.
2. Gently press or roll it out into a rough circle.
3. Once flattened, pull the bottom edge of the dough down slightly and pinch it into a soft point to create the perfect base of the heart.
4. Using your finger, press a small dip into the top centre of the dough, shaping the two rounded curves of the heart. Adjust as needed until you’re happy with the shape. 
5. Spread over your sauce, scatter with cheese and complete with your chosen toppings.
6. Bake according to your dough’s instructions. If it doesn’t specify, I would recommend around 230°C. 
7. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Words by Jasmine Mitchell

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake Balls:

Now it’s time to wind down with a glass of wine and a sweet treat as you gossip into the night with your girls. Here’s our recommendation for the perfect bite-sized treat that hits that sweet spot to finish an evening of delicious food.

 Ingredients:

• 2 packets of Oreos (around 300g) 
• 150g of cream cheese (should be a 2:1 ratio of the oreos and cream cheese) 
• White chocolate 
• Red food colouring 
• Sprinkles (optional)

Method: 

1. Crush the Oreos up. You can put them in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin, but I would recommend blending them for the best results. 
2. Add the cream cheese to the Oreo powder. You can manually fold it in or add it to the blender. 
3. Roll the mixture into small balls with your hands (wet your hands to prevent sticking)
4. Place the small balls on a tray and put in the fridge for a minimum of 20 minutes. 
5. Whilst the balls are chilling, melt your white chocolate and add in the red food colouring for that Galentine’s flair. 
6. Roll the balls in your melted chocolate, add your sprinkles, place them back on the tray and put them back in the fridge.
7. After another 20 minutes, take them out of the fridge to be enjoyed and shared!

Fancy jazzing it up…

If you’re feeling extra romantic, wrap the balls up in coloured parchment with some ribbon to give to your girls, because who needs a man to give you flowers when you can get an Oreo cheesecake ball instead!

Words by Kiera-Leigh Phillips

Featured image courtesy of Uby Yanes via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.