GEOMETRIC HEART BUTTER COOKIES

A little labor of love, these cookies are adorable and will brighten up any special occasion. You’ll need a special silicone mold, but other than that, it is all pretty straightforward.


GEOMETRIC HEART BUTTER COOKIES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen, adapted from several sources)

240g unsalted butter, at room temperature
140g powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
260g flour
20g cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt

Candy melts or compound chocolate of your choice, white and pink
sprinkles for decoration
Diamond dust pump


Mix the flour with cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Reserve. Add the butter to the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer, and using the paddle attachment, mix it for a couple of minutes until soft and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, mix on low, then increase the speed to medium and mix for a couple more minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until all is incorporated, then add the reserved flour mixture.

Mix until all flour is incorporated and there are no dried bits anywhere. Fill the cavities of the mold with the cookie dough, 3/4 to the top, making sure to allow a little space for expansion. Ideally, you want the cookie to bake flush with the top of the mold.

Bake at 325F until the cookies are set in the center, that might take about 20 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely over a rack. If you want to be extra safe, place the cool mold in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes before un-molding.

Remove the cookies, wash the molds and use them to melt compound chocolate and do the final coating and decoration.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: To bake the cookies, you will need a silicone pan such as this one. The cookies will take longer to bake in the mold than they would shaped and baked on a baking sheet. Also, you need to let them cool completely before attempting to un-mold. Wash the pan, dry it well, and use it to pour a base of melted compound chocolate (I used white and pink, marbled together). Place the cookies gently back over the melted chocolate and freeze the whole tray for 15 minutes. Additional melted chocolate and sprinkles make the cookies even more festive, but of course, that step is optional.

.


These cookies would be perfect for an engagement party, a wedding anniversary, a teenage girl Birthday, or simply to offer to someone you really love!

ONE YEAR AGO: Cake Pucks

TWO YEARS AGO: Haniela’s Cheese Crackers

THREE YEARS AGO: Shrimp Tacos with Jicama-Mango Salsa

FOUR YEARS AGO: Mini-Egg Brownies

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Luck of the Irish

SIX YEARS AGO: When life gives you Eye-of-the-Round

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Carrot Cake Macarons

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Soup Saturday: Say Goodbye to Winter

NINE YEARS AGO: Manchego and Poblano Soup

TEN YEARS AGO: A Smashing Pair

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Crispy Chickpea and Caper Spaghetti

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Spring has Sprung!

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Chickpea and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Double Asparagus Delight

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO:  Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

BAKING WITH THE HEART

This is the time to focus on everything we are grateful for.
Cook with love, bake with love. Share. Repeat.

DRAGON FLOWER SOURDOUGH LOVE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

STENCIL from Sourdough Fever, available HERE

480g bread flour
20g spelt flour
16g dragon flower powder
10g salt
350g water
75g sourdough starter (70-100% hydration)

Make the levain mixture about 6 hours before you plan to mix the dough. It should be very bubbly and active.

When you are ready to make the final dough, place the water in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer and dissolve the starter in it, mixing with a spatula briefly, then add the two types of flour, the Dragon flower powder and the salt. Turn the mixer on with the hook attachment and knead the dough for 4 minutes at low-speed all the time. If the dough is too sticky, add a maximum of 1/4 cup flour, you want the dough to start clearing the sides of the bowl, but still be sticky at the bottom.


Remove from the machine. Get a small piece of dough and place in a little glass container to follow fermentation (optional, but highly recommended). Transfer the dough to a container lightly coated with oil, cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 2 hours, folding every 30 minutes or so. After the fourth folding cycle, let the dough sit at room temperature until doubled in size, following the progress in the small amount of dough removed.

Shape the dough as a ball, and place, seam side up, in a lightly floured banetton. Place in the fridge overnight, from 8 to 12 hours or even longer, if you prefer.

Next morning, heat the oven to 450F. Invert the dough over parchment paper, carefully place the stencil on top, and dust with flour. Make sure to rub the flour well into the design, a small brush is helpful. Lift the stencil and place the dough in a Dutch oven.

Bake at 450F for 45 minutes, preferably covered for the first 30 minutes to retain steam. Cool completely over a rack before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here


Comments: This is actually my second loaf with the Dragon flower powder, the first one was beautifully pink inside, but this turned out marbled and light. Cannot quite figure it out, it was the same exact formula and method. Oh, well. Still absolutely delicious, no change in flavor, maybe the crumb has slightly more moisture, the bread is a bit more tender than a sourdough without the powder.
.

Moving on, I share a series of cookies that center on a message of love….


Royal icing lavender base; details in piping consistency white. Fondant rose detail.

.


Scalloped edge heart cookie. Iced in two tones of Dusty Rose. Details in piping consistency gray.

.


Dusty Rose for the base icing. Details in dark Dusty Rose, piping consistency, same for bead border.

.


Inspired by a little reel I saw on Facebook. Shape cut by hand. Iced in two stages, wet on wet details, and piping consistency dark Dusty Rose. Fondant for the detail at the bottom.

.


Two-toned heart. Once again using Dusty Rose as the main color. Details piped in white. White pearls for bling.

.

.


Stencil + Air-brushing over cookies iced with pure white.

.


For a different take, a little pastel green. Details in piping consistency white.

I hope you enjoyed this little round-up of love in baking format. And don’t forget, always follow your heart!

ONE YEAR AGO: Fall-Inspired Vanilla Cupcakes

TWO YEARS AGO: Bake it Better with a Friend

THREE YEARS AGO: Bison a la Mode de Bourgogne

FOUR YEARS AGO: Masala Mashed Potatoes

FIVE YEARS AGO: Lessons from Tanya: Sugar Cookie Silhouettes

SIX YEARS AGO: Cherry-Chipotle Chicken Thighs

SEVEN YEARS AGO: White Chocolate Mini-Mousse with Sugared Cranberries

EIGHT YEARS AGO: You Say Ebelskiver, I say Falafel

NINE YEARS AGO: Happy Thanksgiving!

TEN YEARS AGO: Two Takes on Raspberries

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Spice Cake with Blackberry Puree & The Global Pastry Review

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Own Your Kitchen with Cappuccino Panna Cotta

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread:  Basic Country Loaf 

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO:  Pugliese Bread

.

.