via French Macarons a special Valentine’s Day treat for your Sweetheart!
Red Velvet all over lately, even Dunkin Donuts has Red Velvet lattes and Red Velvet Drizzle Donuts during the holidays. I’m still not tired of this delicious flavor. What could be more appropriate for Valentine’s Day than Red Velvet Heart cookies? These little gems are fun and easy to make just screaming Be Mine!
Red Velvet Heart Cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon red food coloring
3 ounces white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon shortening
1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a medium bowl sift flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside
2. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Add red food coloring gently hand mixing until the dough is red without any chocolate streaks.
3. Form mixture into a ball and knead until smooth. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1inch scalloped heart cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
5. In a small heavy saucepan cook and stir white chocolate and shortening over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle cookies with melted white chocolate. Let stand until white chocolate is set. Makes about 24 cookies.
Enjoy!
Who doesn’t love caramel and chocolate. These bars have both and are very easy to make. Cookies generally require time although worth all the effort to make homemade cookies. If you love cookies but thought you didn’t have the patients or time to make try a bar cookie. So easy to make without having to roll out or decorate. And so delicious, need I say more. Once you master the bar cookie you will always find time to whip up a batch.
In a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Turn off the stove and let the chocolate sit over warm water. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and mix to combine. In another bowl, mix together sugar and eggs, combine thoroughly with a whisk and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix. Stir in flour mixture. Cool for a few minutes (if the batter is warm, chocolate chips will melt). Stir in chocolate chips. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter and place on a baking tray. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7-8 minutes until the outside looks slightly cracked. Be very careful not to over-bake cookies because they will continue to bake as they cool once removed from the oven. Cookies should be soft and gooey in the center.
For a twist add one of the following: 3/4 cup toasted pecans or pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger or 1/3 cup sweetened coconut
Enjoy!
