Valentine’s Day is just a few days away and, for this special day, chocolate and sweets seem to be de rigueur.

Start the celebration early by serving these heart-shaped chocolate bread slices for breakfast. You can top them with desiccated coconut, rainbow sprinkles or chopped nuts.

For a touch of red, serve some fresh strawberries on the side.

Valentine toast

1 loaf sliced bread (see tips)
½ cup butter
1 small bottle chocolate hazelnut spread such as Nutella
½ c desiccated coconut
½ c chopped nuts
½ c rainbow sprinkles
Fresh strawberries (optional)

Press a heart-shaped cookie cutter on each slice of the bread, and trim the sides so the bread shapes into a heart. Toast the heart-shaped bread slices in an oven toaster or in a nonstick pan, just until they turn lightly brown and firm.

Spread butter on one side of each heart-shaped bread, then top with the chocolate hazelnut spread. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut or chopped nuts or rainbow sprinkles (you can make an assortment). If desired, serve fresh strawberries on the side.

Cook’s tips:
Use fresh bread—not one that has been refrigerated.

For the spread, you can also use canned chocolate or vanilla frosting, available in the baking section of large supermarkets.

Other substitute spreads would be peanut butter and coconut jam.