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Valentines Day. It is right around the corner people. I know very soon I will start seeing couples frolicking about hand in hand with giant teddy bears and enough chocolate to give Willy Wonka a run for his money. If you are like me and are absolutely clueless when it comes to giving someone a gift for this holiday listen up. Also if you are with someone like me who is literally allergic to almost everything this recipe will save you.
One of my fondest memories from high school was the Valentines Day of my sophomore year. My dad knowing I loathed the holiday with every fiber of my being did something that made the day amazing. He went to La Madeline and purchased a huge tin of their Linzer Heart Cookies. My favorite cookies ever. They only sell these cookies twice a year. Christmas and Valentines Day. I got to carry this tin around and eat my favorite cookies all day. Now that I'm on a diet I can't really carry on that tradition, but it never hurts to have one or two. So I figured this year I would actually learn how to make the cookies for myself and others. Check out the recipe I used.
Ingredients:
Two 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (96g) silvered almonds
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (If you don't have shaved sugar)
8 oz strawberry or raspberry jam (Depends on which you like more)
Directions:
Thanks to Cooking Classy, Joy of Baking and various others for this recipe. The recipe will most likely produce two dozen cookies. Now these cookies are not exactly like the La Madeline cookies, but they come really close. I suggest making these for your loved ones and putting them in cutely decorated bags. If you are single, like me, make a small batch for yourself. In the words of RuPaul "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?" Valentines Day is also Singles Awareness day so treat yourself to some quality 'you' time. Eat some cookies, give yourself a pedicure, hit up Lush and get an awesome bath bomb you can enjoy, and watch horror movies with friends. I suggest Evil Dead, Saw or The Conjuring. My only advice I can really give my fellow single guys and dolls out there is stay away from 'singles parties' that day because those parties are literally the worst and enjoy yourself.
M.
One of my fondest memories from high school was the Valentines Day of my sophomore year. My dad knowing I loathed the holiday with every fiber of my being did something that made the day amazing. He went to La Madeline and purchased a huge tin of their Linzer Heart Cookies. My favorite cookies ever. They only sell these cookies twice a year. Christmas and Valentines Day. I got to carry this tin around and eat my favorite cookies all day. Now that I'm on a diet I can't really carry on that tradition, but it never hurts to have one or two. So I figured this year I would actually learn how to make the cookies for myself and others. Check out the recipe I used.
Ingredients:
Two 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (96g) silvered almonds
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (If you don't have shaved sugar)
8 oz strawberry or raspberry jam (Depends on which you like more)
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder, set aside. In a food processor, pulse almonds with brown sugar until finely ground, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and powdered sugar on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and whip until creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in egg, then blend in vanilla and almond extract. Mix in almond mixture, then with mixer set on low speed, slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. Form mixture into a ball and drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then flatten into a 6-inch round disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust work surface with flour, cut disk in half and then evenly roll out each portion into 1/8 to 1/6-inch thickness. Cut into heart shapes using a cookie cutter, then using a smaller heart shape cookie cutter, cut smaller hearts into the centers of half of the hearts. Carefully transfer to Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets (you can run a sharp knife or pastry scaper under cookies to help lift them if needed. Also, chill dough that's not currently being rolled or baked, the hearts hold their shape better when cold), spacing cookies 1-inch apart. Bake in preheated oven 10 - 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread strawberry jam over whole hearts, dust cookies with heart cut centers with powdered sugar then place those cookies over over tops. Store in an airtight container.
Thanks to Cooking Classy, Joy of Baking and various others for this recipe. The recipe will most likely produce two dozen cookies. Now these cookies are not exactly like the La Madeline cookies, but they come really close. I suggest making these for your loved ones and putting them in cutely decorated bags. If you are single, like me, make a small batch for yourself. In the words of RuPaul "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?" Valentines Day is also Singles Awareness day so treat yourself to some quality 'you' time. Eat some cookies, give yourself a pedicure, hit up Lush and get an awesome bath bomb you can enjoy, and watch horror movies with friends. I suggest Evil Dead, Saw or The Conjuring. My only advice I can really give my fellow single guys and dolls out there is stay away from 'singles parties' that day because those parties are literally the worst and enjoy yourself.
M.