This is a last-minute party dessert, for when you want to make a big Valentine’s splash, but there isn’t much time. The ingredients are available at just about any grocery store, and the whole thing took less than an hour. First, I made a big pan of brownies, baking 3 brownie mixes together in one baking sheet. I cut 3 large hearts out of the pan, frosted them lightly with premade chocolate frosting – just enough to make the sparkly sprinkles stick – and then I smothered them in red cake sparkles. Served with a glass of champagne, this was just the right thing for an impromptu celebration. And what are we celebrating, you might ask?

My daughter Alice has just written her first book. It’s called Eternal Hearts, and is set in Las Vegas – which is why I wanted to bake something glitzy that a showgirl, or Siegfried and Roy, would love. I am shamelessly recommending it to you: both as a proud mother and an avid reader of young adult fiction (just kidding. I’m the only person in the world who didn’t like The Hunger Games). Eternal Hearts is the story of Hadley Phillips, a desperate orphan who stumbles upon a life-changing contest that turns out to be as dangerous as it is mysterious. As she undergoes a series of nearly impossible challenges, Hadley finds herself testing the very fabric of who she is – and questioning the people behind this strange circus. It is equal parts suspenseful and thoughtful, and with a dash of the supernatural, I don’t think you’ll be able to say no to it; I read it in a single afternoon. You can buy it HERE.

Full disclosure: Alice edits all my blog posts, or you might sometimes be wondering what I’m actually trying to say. (I get emails from her that just say “COMMA FAULTS!” or “PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS!!!!” and I know how I must try her patience.) So this shout-out is the least I can do for all her help. Eternal Hearts is geared to the teen/tween set and is available for purchase across 15 e-book reader platforms including Kindle, iBooks, and Nook.

I feel a little guilty about putting up such an easy recipe, but the shiny heart does make an impression on a buffet table. Think of it as a hack, if you will. In the meantime, here are the embarrassingly simple instructions (because you couldn’t call this a legitimate recipe) for my Eternal Heart.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Serves: 10-15