LOVE IS ALL AROUND…
I admit it, I love Valentine’s Day. I know that some don’t and refer to it as “SAD” (Single Awareness Day), but none of us are really single. We are with people at work, the bank, the market, and everywhere we go. There are plenty of people in our lives, whether we “love” them or not, and February 14th is a chance to be a little bit sweet to a lot of people. jump to recipe
One of the reasons I love this slightly manufactured holiday is that Christmas and New Years are often so action packed that it can be hard to fulfill my edible gifting wishes. Long about now though, things have calmed down a bit and I can take on a fun food project – and I’m a sucker for hearts. My valentine of choice is decorated shortbread hearts. Easy to make, easy to decorate.
I pop them in cute bags with hearts, tie them with a ribbon, and head out. Many are earmarked for particular friends, while others are used to spontaneously surprise tellers, cashiers, and others that I bump into. When you hand somebody homemade shortbread hearts (with edible glitter) they are as happy as you are. It really is better to give, and I dare anyone to not feel full of love after a day of sharing your heart (cookies)!
These adorable parcels also function as thank yous. I’ll be giving some to my friend Ginny, a vendor at the farmer’s market. She heard me lament that I haven’t been able to make my legendary Tarte au Passion (passion fruit tart) for years because I couldn’t lay my hands on the passion fruit puree needed. On a shopping trip to Tucson she spotted it and brought me some – new best friend! It was a lovely a reunion tucking that tart dough into the pan and making the filling.
Another friend has an amazing lemon tree, which bears the most heavenly fruit, and she shares the lemons generously. Not only was I able to make a batch of lemon curd that was perfection and dozens of bright, zingy “Lemon Crinkles,” I planted some of the seeds and have lemon tree sprouts that I’m nurturing. She might just get a few extra shortbread hearts.
Little things do mean a lot. Why not make an afternoon of it and whip up some love? Then share it.
Decorating Tips
- Only use 2 colors of icing to give a bit of uniformity. I’d suggest white and red, pink and red, or red and pink.
- You can always add more, but… Start simply and decide what you like. You can add more polka dots later, but if you put down too many initially they may all run together.
- Many cute decorating sprinkles don’t taste nice, and some of the metallic balls can crack a tooth. Kids won’t notice, but go sparingly and leave off the balls if your valentines are “mature.”
- Edible glitter can be found by doing an online search for “edible glitter disco.” It is possible to over-do, but somebody will love your “whoops” anyway.
- Also search for “valentine cookies” to get inspiration. For natural color in my icing I used a few drops of beet juice, and I do mean a few drops.
- Use zipper bags (without a gusset or pleat) to decorate with. Take a very small portion of a corner off and then squirt away.
Roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, which makes it easy to roll, chill, and cut your cookies. Some years I have more patience and time than others, but my quick “disco meets Pollock” cookies shown here are just as welcomed as perfect ones. No matter what, you are handing someone a treat made with love, and those are always delicious! The process of rolling, chilling, cutting, and baking is less complicated than it may seem. Dough can be re-rolled several times. My icing is powdered sugar and water.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 cups flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Icing and sprinkles
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and light, then add the vanilla and mix together. Mix the salt into the flour, then add to the butter mixture, by the cup, until fully incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 4, forming disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Roll dough to a fat quarter inch, then chill again.
- Cut out hearts and place on sheet pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or when just beginning to get some color. Let cool completely.
