Delicious and scenic filled shortbread hearts with jam or spreadable cream, perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day.
The recipe is that of the super tested cocoa shortcrust pastry with which, if you have decorative rolling pins, you get really elegant hearts.
As I have often repeated in other circumstances, sometimes to make a good impression, to give a handmade thought, you don’t need to spend a lot of money or juggle complicated recipes; you just need the right recipe and a pinch of imagination, and you’re done.
After all, it had already happened to me at New Year, when I made the clock cookies to create fun place cards to give away, and the gesture was really appreciated both visually and obviously in terms of taste.
So now I leave you the list of ingredients to prepare the cocoa shortcrust pastry, and the photographic steps to prepare many filled shortbread hearts; but if you want other interesting ideas, read below for other proposals.
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day
Ingredients
I provide the full dose of shortcrust pastry, but I used about 9 oz
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/8 cups butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ground cinnamon
- orange zest
- vanilla
- 1 oz white chocolate (and cereal balls)
- pistachio spread
- mixed berry jam
Tools
- Rolling Pin decorative
- Sticks wooden guides for shortcrust pastry
- Mats silicone
Steps
After making the cocoa shortcrust pastry, let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours, but it can be done the day before.
Roll out the cocoa shortcrust pastry to a thickness of 1/8 inch and then go over it with the decorative rolling pin.
Cut using heart-shaped cookie cutters and place the cookies on the oven tray lined with parchment paper or directly on an oven rack with the silicone mat.
Place the tray in the fridge and meanwhile preheat the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F
While the cookies cool, melt the white chocolate and pour it into a disposable piping bag; cut the tip slightly and draw the grids simulating the bow only on half of the prepared cookies (the other half serves as the base).
Before the white chocolate fully sets, decorate with chocolate cereal balls or sprinkles. Fill each cookie that will serve as a base (obviously the undecorated part) with spreadable cream (pistachio or hazelnut) or jam and close with a decorated cookie.
The filled shortbread hearts can be stored at room temperature.
Variations:
If desired, you can make the filled shortbread hearts with classic shortcrust pastry or other variants (you can find the recipe above the photo under ‘other interesting recipes’) by contrasting the white chocolate with dark chocolate or gianduia.
