At Cook's Companion, All You Need Is Love

With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s prime time to bake some goodies for your loved ones — and A Cook’s Companion is stocked up for the holiday. They’ve got heart-shaped silicone pans, napkin rings and cookie cutters, as well as red and pink icing and sprinkles, and a wide array of festive cupcake liners. If you’re looking for a quick but impressive dessert, we recommend picking up a couple of heart-shaped ramekins, and filling them with this recipe for Mini Fudgey Chocolate Cakes. (Serve them right in the ramekins to save time and effort — and top them with a scoop of ice cream.) Or, if you’re expecting to be the recipient of some baked goods and want to give a gift in return, Essence of Chocolate, a beautiful cookbook by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg, would make a great present for the baker in your life.

A Cook’s Companion is located at 197 Atlantic Ave., between Court and Clinton Streets; 718-852-6901. Essence of Chocolate is available on Amazon.