Sugar Swings! Serve Some: February 2017

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Piped Heart Shaped Butter Cookies - filled with rainbow jams


One of my favorite cookies are butter cookies.  So simple, delicate, and delish.  I even love those mass produced ones that come in the tins that your mom or grandma keeps thread and sewing stuff in!

I had the great idea of making butter cookies but in the shape of hearts for valentines day.


Mix up a simple butter cookie recipe, add it to a piping bag, and pipe some pretty hearts.  

Sounds easy enough right??


Can I tell you how HARD it is to pipe butter cookie dough?? Piping these hearts took like an hour and much forearm strength!


But if you can persevere through it you can fill them with a lot of jellies and jams in fun colors.


or use marmalade - what's the difference between jelly, jam, and marmalade? I'm too lazy to google it today.


I must be getting old because I love butter cookies ESPECIALLY with a thin layer of fruit flavor.  It kinda goes along with my love of bundt cakes as well.  Welcome to middle age!


The hearts were supposed to look like rose shaped icing that is super popular.  However, my kids saw these and asked me if these cookies were supposed to look messy.  I of course said yes because I was just happy to have gotten through the batch without throwing the entire thing in the garbage.


They tasted awesome no matter how they looked.  Tender butter cookie sandwiches made with real vanilla beans with a layer of jelly inside - SO YUM! And I love using the contrasting colors of the jams - even the mint - I've always wanted to try mint jelly!


Although they take a little muscle your Valentine will definitely appreciate the effort - and did I  mention they are super tasty?!

Piped Heart Shaped Butter Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • Variety of jelly/jam/marmalades (blueberry, cranberry, mint, orange, lingonberry)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients together.
  3. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
  4. Add in egg and scraped vanilla bead seeds.
  5. Add flour mixture 1 cup at a time until just mixed.
  6. Pump some iron to build up arm strength then add dough to pastry bag and pipe heart shapes.
  7. Bake until edges are just golden about 10-12 minutes.
  8. Once cooled spread flat side of cookie with jelly and top with another cookie.
Prep time: 45 minutes Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Candy Valentines on Chocolate Graham Crackers


Hey all, it's February and time for all that is pink and red and heart shaped!


I love decorating graham crackers so decided to make some really simple edible valentine day treats made with lots of fun candies of the season.

If you head down the candy aisle you can't miss all the Valentine's Day goodies overflowing.  My kiddos also love chocolate graham crackers so decided decorate them with some of their fav candy.


Marshmallows Peeps, Mike and Ike, and Hot Tamales

And my oldest loves loves LOVES conversation hearts.  As with Peeps you kinda either love them or hate them.  I love Peeps but I'm not into those chalky hearts.  He on the other hand finished off a big bag in a week! Sheesh.  


Putting them together is really simple.  You basically ice a graham cracker with royal icing, add the candy in fun ways - like these flowers or add marshmallow heart Peeps, then let the icing dry.


Have them for a fun valentines day dessert or wrap them up for handing to your Valentines day sweeties!


Chocolate, icing, and candy with some cute sayings - So fun!


Since I can't watch the news these days without getting a headache I think I'll get my motivation from these conversation hearts! They make a lot of sense to me in this seemingly intolerant time we all are living in.


Be kind and empathetic to each other - remember try not to judge unless you've walked a day in someone else's shoes.  Have a great week!

Chocolate Graham Crackers Decorated for Valentines Day

Ingredients
  • Chocolate graham crackers (or you can use your favorite flavor)
  • 1 cup of royal icing
  • Assorted candy like Mike and Ike's, Hot Tamales, Valentines Peeps, and Conversation Hearts
  • Non-pareil sprinkles
Instructions:
  1. Spread royal icing across tops of graham crackers.
  2. Add candies to while icing is still wet.  Use Mike and Ike's or Hot Tamales to make flower shapes. I cut them in half but you could leave whole as well.  Add conversation hearts or Valentines Peeps to the centers.  Decorate with more candies as desired.
  3. Sprinkle with non-pareil sprinkles.
  4. Let dry for at least 2 hours.  
  5. Wrap in treat bags or store in airtight container for 1 week.
Prep time: 30Yield: 12-15 square graham crackers