NEW YORK (WLNY) – Why not give your sweetheart some homemade specialties this Valentine’s Day?

TV 10-55′s Alex Denis visited downtown’s Rafaele Restaurant to get some tips from an expert.

More: NYC’s 7 Best Valentine’s Day Desserts

Alison Mahoney, The Singing Baker from the Food Network show Sweet Genius, showed us how to take a basic shortbread recipe and tweak it three simple ways – using everyday ingredients – to make it look like you spent hours slaving in the kitchen for that special someone.

Find the recipe below.

Shortbread Recipe:

2 sticks of butter
2 cups of flour
½ tsp of salt
½ cup sugar

Split into 3 portions

Add orange zest to one portion and make into a cylindrical
Add dried cranberries to one portion and make into a cylindrical
Roll out the third portion and cut-out into small hearts
Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 min.