Love Heart Cookies
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Makes about 24 cookies (depending on size of cookie cutter)
Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 1-2 hours resting time)
Cooking time: 20 minutes per batch
- 85g/3ozs butter, softened
- 140g/5ozs white caster superfine sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
-
180g/6ozs all-purpose flour (or a bit more, I needed about 30g more for this batch)
-
150g-180g icing or confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1 egg white
- Teal and rose pink food colouring
- Food flavouring (optional, I used strawberry for pink and violet for the blue)
Step 1 - Using a beater attachment, beat the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Then on the lowest speed, add the flour until it becomes a pliable dough. If it is too sticky, gradually add some more flour (if it too sticky, the dough will spread). Shape into a flat disc and wrap in cling film. Rest in fridge for 1-2 hours.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Line two baking trays with parchment. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment. This dough can roll and re-roll again easily but needs to be rolled between paper. Dip a heart cutter into some flour and cut out hearts. I usually peel away the excess dough and use a brownie lifter to gently place them on the prepared trays about 1/2 an inch apart. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes or so if you have the time (this helps the cookies keep their shape). Bake for 15-18 minutes. You want them pale but cooked. Cool for 10 minutes on the tray and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 3 - Make the royal icing. Mix the icing sugar and the egg white together. I do this in a food processor because I'm lazy and hate sifting icing sugar. But just a lil' warning, it does create lots of tiny little bubbles so it's best if you rest this covered for about 15 minutes before using it to let the bubbles disappear. First I whizz the icing sugar so that the lumps disappear and then add the egg white. You want to be able to draw a line and have it hold so add more icing sugar if necessary.
Step 4 - Divide the icing evenly into two bowls. Using a toothpick, add a tiny bit of teal into one and rose pink into the other. Mix until the colour is evenly distributed. Cover with cling film as this dries quickly.
Step 5 - Make two icing piping bags using parchment and place a couple of teaspoons of the icing into each. Draw an outline around the heart and do half the cookies pink and half teal. It's easiest to do this starting from the bottom of the heart for a better rounded heart shape. Allow to set completely (it doesn't take long) and place the two piping bags in a airtight box as you will need them later.
Step 6 - Add some food flavouring and a few drops of water to the bowls of icing - not too much water or the icing will become too translucent. You want the consistency to be runnier as you will then "flood" the cookies. Take a small teaspoon (I use a demitasse spoon) to spread out the icing-you can also use a palette knife too and then shake the cookie back and forth to even out the icing. Prick any bubbles with a toothpick and shake the cookie to smooth the icing. Allow to set completely (this takes longer and I left this overnight in the now cold oven).
Step 7 - Once the filling has set, take the piping bags and draw "love" on each. It is best to practice these first on parchment. Allow to set completely and then store in an airtight box.