MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - February 8, 2010) - (Family Features) Cupid's day calls for yummy
desserts that say "you're special" at first sight and first bite! With a
few easy techniques, four year-round favorites -- butter cookies,
fruit-filled chocolate shells, brownies and cupcakes -- become delicious
and doable Valentine treats.
For additional ideas for Valentine's celebrations, or to order baking and
decorating supplies, visit
www.wilton.com.
Sugar Cookie Dough
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed
until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts; mix well. Combine flour
and salt; add to butter mixture, one cup at a time. Beat until well
blended. Do not chill dough. Divide dough in half; use one half each for
Sweet Love Cookies and Got a Crush on You Cupcakes.
Sweet Love Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
These bite-size hearts are so easy to make but hard to resist! Buttery,
subtly sweet cookie dough is pressed into a pan with heart-shaped cavities,
then baked. Cooled cookies are glazed with melted white candy and sprinkled
with colorful nonpareils.
Sugar Cookie Dough (1/2 of the prepared dough)
3 packages (14 ounces each) White Candy Melts
Valentine Nonpareils or other Valentine Sugars and Sprinkles
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray Petite Heart Pan cavities with vegetable pan
spray.
Press dough into cavities, filling 2/3 full. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until
light brown around edges. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn pan over; lightly tap
to remove cookies. Cool completely on cooling grid.
Working with 4 to 5 cookies at a time, place cookies on cooling grid
positioned over parchment paper lined cookie sheet or pan. Melt Candy Melts
following package instructions; pour or pipe over cookie and let set
briefly. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Let dry completely.
Step-by-step tips:
http://www.wilton.com/decorating/cookie-decorating/covering-with-candy-melts.cfm
Got a Crush on You Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Bake cupcakes -- any favorite flavor -- in colorful Valentine-inspired
baking cups. Ice with white decorator icing and top with red and pink
sugar-coated heart-shaped cookies (or icing decorations) for a flirty
finish.
Sugar Cookie Dough (1/2 of the prepared dough)
Red and Pink Colored
Sugars
1 can (16 ounces) White
Decorator Icing
1 package (18.25 ounces)
yellow or other favorite
flavor cake mix
Water, oil and eggs to prepare mix
Preheat oven to 400°F.
On lightly floured surface, roll cookie dough into a circle about 12 inches
in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Using nesting heart cookie cutters, cut 2
sizes small hearts, dipping cutter in flour before each use; sprinkle with
colored sugars. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6 to 7 minutes or
until cookies are lightly browned. Cool cookies completely. Layer small and
large cookies with icing between.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Place Sweetheart Bandana baking cups in
standard muffin pan. Prepare cake mix following package directions. Fill
cups 2/3 full; bake 17 to 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center
comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely. Ice cooled cupcakes with icing;
insert cookies, mounding additional icing if necessary.
Convenience Tip: Substitute Hearts Remembered Icing Decorations for cookies
to top cupcakes.
Valentine Brownie Points
Makes about 6 brownies
Brownie hearts, dressed in pink and white swirls and love notes, definitely
score points with cupid. Cut a pan of brownies into heart shapes with a
cookie cutter, then cover with decadent fudge icing. Use cookie icing to
add messages, swirls and other decorative touches.
1 package (about 20 ounces) brownie mix
(13 x 9-inch size)
Water, oil and eggs to make mix
1 can (16 ounces) Brownie Fudge Icing
Pink and White Cookie Icing
Heart-shaped chocolate candy (optional)
Bake brownies in baking pan following package directions. Cool completely.
Using Comfort Grip Heart Cutter, cut shapes from cooled brownie; ice with
Fudge Icing. Heat Cookie Icing following package instructions; add message,
outlines, swirls and other decorations to top of brownie hearts. If
desired, add candy.
Step-by-step tips:
http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com/techniques/printwriting.cfm
Sweet & Tart Hearts
Makes about 8 hearts
A berry-laden, heart-shaped chocolate shell shimmers and shines for your
Valentine. Make the shells up to one week in advance. To serve, brush edges
with melted candy and dip into pink and white sparkling sugars; fill with
berries.
2 packages (14 ounces each) White,
Dark Cocoa or Light Cocoa
Candy Melts
Pink and White Sparkling Sugars
Fresh berries
Melt Candy Melts following package instructions. Use food-safe brush to
coat bottom and sides of Ruffled Heart Silicone Mold cavities with melted
candy. Coat cups thick enough so that cup cannot be seen through candy, at
least 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate candy in mold on cookie sheet until firm,
5 to 8 minutes.
Unmold candy cup by carefully peeling back sides of mold cavity; gently
push baking cup bottom to release candy cup. Brush top edge of cups with
melted candy; dip edge into sugars. Let set. Just before serving, fill with
berries.
1. Place baking cups on flat surface. Fill with 2 tablespoons melted candy.
Brush candy up sides, coating evenly to make heart candy shell.
Refrigerate until firm. Repeat until shell is desired thickness.
2. Peel cup from candy, gently pushing up shell from bottom.
3. Keep shell in cool, dry place until ready to fill and serve.
Courtesy of Family Features
