Time 2 Dine: Simple, romantic treat for your loved one on Valentine's Day

BALTMIORE - When it comes to Valentine's Day, everyone tries to impress their loved one with a romantic meal usually out at some high-end restaurant. They also try and do something romantic at home, but are usually challenged to pull off the perfect me.

Friday on Good Morning Maryland @ 9's "Time 2 Dine" series, Chef Mark Laubner showed how anyone can make a delicious chocolate fondue in no time at all and get creative with the ingrediants they want to enjoy the fondue with. Chef Laubner also showed why chocolate fondue is not something too complicated and isn't something you can't cook.

To see the segment again and see how easy it is to make chocolate fondue, click on the video box to the left of this article. We have also provided Chef Laubner's recipe below so you can try it yourself!

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:
½ cup heavy cream
½ pound premium semisweet chocolate, bittersweet or dark chocolate
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon: Gran Mariner, Amoretto, or other favorite liquor
Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, brownies, marshmallow, cookies, or any other dipping item of your choice

Directions
Put heavy cream in the saucepan and bring up to temperature over low heat. Meanwhile, break up or chop chocolate into small pieces. When the cream is hot, add chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla and liquor of choice. If your fondue seems too thick, add a tiny bit more warm heavy cream. If it seems too thin add more chocolate bits.

Pour into the fondue pot and light the handy fuel underneath; keep the flame low as not to burn the fondue. Arrange strawberries, bananas, pineapple, brownies, marshmallow, cookies or any of your favorite items on a platter and enjoy.

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 bag marshmallows
1 bag sweetened shredded coconut
Clean sprayer bottle with water

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Layout coconut on a clean dry baking sheet
Toast coconut in oven for about 15-20min.
Turn coconut every few minutes to ensure even browning
Allow the coconut to cool and then place it in the freezer to freeze
Put the frozen coconut in a food processor and pulse until very fine
Put the coconut crumbs into a large mixing bowl
Layout marshmallow on a clean dry baking pan.
Lightly mist the marshmallows with the spray bottle completely covering the marshmallows.
Put a few marshmallows at a time into the bowl filled with the coconut and coat in the crumbs
Continue until all marshmallows are completed.
Allow the marshmallows to dry on a baking rack