Whether you're taking treats to the classroom or making goodies for family and friends, here are 10 sweet treats that say, "I love you".

Who can resist a heart-shaped shortbread cookie that's dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with nuts? The bonus is that you can make the dough ahead and freeze until you're ready to make the cookies.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, peeled and lightly toasted, plus extra for sprinkling, if desired* 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg yolk 10 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped**

Process 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts and next 4 ingredients in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter, vanilla, and egg yolk; pulse until butter is cut in evenly and mixture starts to come together, scraping down sides of machine once or twice. (Dough will be very crumbly and may not come together fully until kneaded.)

Remove dough from processor, and knead lightly 2 or 3 times. Flatten into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes prior to rolling.

Preheat oven to 350°. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut heart shapes with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Gather and reroll dough scraps, and cut again.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until edges turn light golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer cookies to a wire rack, and cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, stirring often, or in a microwave at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool slightly. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts, if desired, and chill about 15 minutes or just until chocolate sets. Remove from refrigerator, and store in a single layer in an airtight container up to 2 days.

*To peel hazelnuts, roast at 350° for 6 to 8 minutes, and rub in a towel while warm to remove skins.

**For testing purposes, we used Scharffen Berger chocolate.

Make heart-shaped pastries using refrigerated pie crust dough, then assemble sweet sandwiches by spreading a sweet cream cheese mixture and jam between the hearts. Top with a drizzle of melted white chocolate.

Ingredients: 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts 1 egg white, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 (10-ounce) jar seedless raspberry preserves or strawberry jam 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels 1 tablespoon butter Red sparkling sugar (optional)

Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface, and roll to press out fold lines. Cut with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll remaining dough, and repeat procedure. (There should be a total of 46 pastry hearts.) Brush 1 side of each pastry heart with egg white, and sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Place pastry hearts on 2 ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 400° for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove hearts to wire racks, and let cool.

Stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and almond extract until blended.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on unsugared sides of half the hearts; spread about 1/2 teaspoon preserves over mixture. Top with remaining hearts, unsugared sides down.

Microwave white chocolate morsels and 1 tablespoon butter in a glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted. Stir until smooth. Place mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and drizzle over tarts. Let cool completely; sprinkle with red sparkling sugar, if desired. Place in candy boxes, if desired.

You need only two ingredients to make these nutty, heart-shaped candies.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted 1 (2-ounce) chocolate bark coating square, melted

Dip almonds halfway in melted chocolate, pointed ends down. Lay 2 almonds side by side, pointed ends down and touching, on wax paper, forming a heart shape. Let stand until firm.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a chocolate version of classic crispy rice cereal treats. This one is extra-special because, in addition to the cereal, it has chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallows.

Ingredients: 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels* 1/2 cup peanut butter 2 cups crisp rice cereal 1 1/2 cups peanuts 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows 2 (2-ounce) chocolate bark coating squares, melted White nonpareils (optional)

Microwave chocolate morsels in a large glass bowl at HIGH for 2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in peanut butter, stirring until well blended.

Stir in cereal, peanuts, and marshmallows. Line a 13- x 9-inch pan with foil. Lightly grease foil. Press mixture into foil-lined pan. Drizzle with chocolate. Sprinkle with white nonpareils, if desired.

Let stand 1 hour or until firm; cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to make hearts. Store hearts in an airtight container or place in a candy box, if desired.

*6 (2-ounce) almond bark coating squares may be substituted.

Note: White nonpareils (tiny decorative beads) are available in cake decorating shops or large supermarkets.

Make a basic butter cookie and fill with preserves for a colorful cookie that's great for Valentine's Day parties. Vary the color and flavor by using a different kind of fruit preserves.

Ingredients: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 large egg white 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Cooking spray 1/3 cup raspberry or apricot preserves 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°.

Beat granulated sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and egg white; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until well-blended. (Dough will be stiff.)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 12-inch log. Place logs 3 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Form a 1/2-inch-deep indentation down the length of each log using an index finger or end of a wooden spoon. Spoon preserves into the center. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove logs to a cutting board.

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract; stir well with a whisk. Drizzle sugar mixture over warm logs. Immediately cut each log diagonally into 12 slices. (Do not separate slices.) Cool 10 minutes; separate slices. Transfer slices to wire racks. Cool completely.

These cognac-kissed truffles are the ultimate Valentine's Day indulgence. Who can resist a cream-filled, liqueur-flavored chocolate candy that's lightly rolled in cocoa?

Ingredients: 3/4 cup whipping cream 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 tablespoon cognac or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla About 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

In a 1- to 2-quart pan over high heat, bring cream to a boil. Meanwhile, place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour cream over chocolate and stir gently with a flexible spatula until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. (If chocolate does not melt completely, place bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.) Stir in cognac. Chill mixture until firm, at least 3 hours; if desired, cover and chill up to 1 week.

Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with a piece of waxed paper. With a spoon, scoop out 1-tablespoon portions of chocolate mixture; place on waxed paper. If mixture is too firm to scoop, let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes.

Place 1/4 cup cocoa on a rimmed plate. Dust hands lightly with cocoa. With your hands, roll each scoop of chocolate mixture into a ball, then roll in cocoa to coat. Place each truffle in a small paper candy cup (see notes). To store, place truffles between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container and chill. Advise recipient to chill as well, then bring to room temperature just before serving.

Red, pink, and white party mints are a must for your Valentine's Day parties. You can make a batch ahead of time and freeze.

Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 (2-pound) package powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 6 drops red liquid food coloring (optional) Powdered sugar

Cook cream cheese and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Gradually stir in package of powdered sugar; stir in extract. If desired, divide mixture into 2 portions; stir 2 drops coloring into 1 portion and remaining 4 drops coloring into second portion.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Dip a 2-inch round cookie stamp or bottom of a glass into powdered sugar. Press each ball to flatten. Let stand, uncovered, 4 hours or until firm. Freeze, if desired.

A mixture of white chocolate morsels and vanilla candy coating is the base for this colorful, crunchy candy.

Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups dried cherries 2 tablespoons water 2 (12-ounce) packages white chocolate morsels 6 (2-ounce) vanilla candy coating squares 1 1/4 cups chopped red or green pistachios

Microwave cherries and 2 tablespoons water in a small glass bowl at HIGH 2 minutes; drain.

Melt chocolate and candy coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in cherries and pistachios. Spread into a wax paper-lined 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan.

Chill 1 hour or until firm. Cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Store in airtight container.

Add a double dose of raspberry to these chocolate candies with raspberry preserves and raspberry liqueur.

Ingredients: 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup seedless raspberry preserves 2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs 10 (2-ounce) chocolate candy coating squares 3 (1-ounce) white chocolate squares 1 tablespoon shortening

Microwave chocolate morsels in a 4-cup glass measuring cup at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add melted chocolate, preserves, and liqueur, beating until blended. Stir in crumbs; cover and chill 2 hours.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.

Microwave chocolate coating in a 4-cup glass measuring cup at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Dip balls in coating; place on wax paper.

Place white chocolate and shortening in small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Submerge in hot water until chocolate melts; knead until smooth. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and drizzle mixture over truffles. Let stand until firm. Store in refrigerator or freezer, if desired.

Make a Valentine version of strawberry shortcakes by cutting a cream puff dough into heart shapes. Fill the hearts with an orange-scented cream cheese mixture that's speckled with bits of chocolate.

Ingredients: Cream puff dough (Recipe below) Chocolate-orange cream (Recipe below) 2 cups fresh raspberries Garnish: semisweet chocolate curls, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa

On two lightly buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets, using a narrow spatula, shape 1/4-cup portions of Cream Puff Dough into hearts 3 inches across widest dimension and 3 inches long in the center. Make the V in the top of the hearts deep, since they lose definition as they bake (see notes).

Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven until puffs are golden, 25 to 35 minutes; if baking the sheets at the same time in one oven, switch their positions halfway through. With a wooden skewer, poke each puff in several places, then continue baking until golden brown, dry, and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer puffs to racks to cool completely.

Slice hearts in half horizontally. Set each base on a dessert plate and fill with Chocolate-Orange Cream.

Rinse and drain raspberries; pat dry. Distribute berries evenly over filling (save a few for garnish if desired). Set heart tops over berries. Garnish with semisweet chocolate curls and sift powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa lightly over the top.

In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine 1 cup water, butter, and the sugar if using; bring to a boil over high heat. Add flour all at once and stir quickly until mixture pulls away from pan sides and masses together. Remove from heat and stir until flour is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Let cool about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To mix by hand, add eggs, one at a time, to warm butter-flour mixture in pan, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until dough is smooth and satiny.

To mix with an electric mixer or food processor, scrape warm butter-flour mixture into a bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating or whirling after each addition just until smooth; do not overmix.

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat neufchâtel cheese, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth. Add whipping cream and beat on low speed until blended, then on high speed just until mixture resembles stiffly beaten whipped cream (do not overbeat).

Sift powdered sugar and fold into cream mixture. Fold in chocolate until evenly distributed.

Soak maraschino cherries in brandy, and then dip them in melted chocolate for a special treat for your sweetie. If you prefer a non-alcohol version, just leave out the soaking step.

Ingredients: 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with stems 1/2 cup brandy (optional) 1 (8-ounce) package semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped

Drain maraschino cherries, and return to jar. Pour brandy, if desired, in jar; cover with a lid, and freeze 8 hours. Drain cherries, and pat dry, reserving brandy for another use.

Melt two-thirds of chocolate baking squares in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 115°. Remove from heat; add remaining chocolate, and stir until candy thermometer reaches 89° and chocolate is smooth.

Dip cherries quickly into melted chocolate, coating well. Place cherries on wax paper, stem sides up, and cool.

Give your sweetie a chocolate kiss. A meringue kiss, that is. These kisses feature heart-healthy bittersweet chocolate and egg whites and have less than 3 grams of fat per cookie.

Ingredients: 1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 3 large egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Dash of salt 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine hazelnut mixture, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold hazelnut mixture and vanilla into egg mixture.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe 48 (1 1/2-inch-round) mounds onto prepared baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until meringues are done and dry to the touch. (Meringues are done when surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Turn oven off; partially open oven door. Cool meringues in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove meringues from paper.