In a few days it will be Valentine’s Day and I thought of those who have little practice, don’t own tools like a stand mixer or even molds, but want to impress. I copied the method to make puff pastries and with a bit of skill, these Easy Hearts for Valentine’s Day came out. They are very simple, you only need the ingredients, a pastry board, and your hands.
Other recipes to celebrate for two
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Valentine's Day
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 7 oz Butter (soft)
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 tbsp egg yolk
- 1 pinch Fine salt
- 1 vial Lemon flavor
- 1 vial Vanilla flavor
- 7 tbsp Pistachio cream (spreadable)
- 3 tbsp Pistachio granules
Tools
- Food scale
- Bowl
- Pastry board
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
Steps
In a large bowl, sift powdered sugar and add soft butter. Start mixing with a fork until a cream is formed.
Add the whole egg plus the yolk, the flavors, and salt while continuing to mix. Gradually add the flour through a sifter, about half the amount. Pour the other half on the pastry board and finish kneading with your hands. Quickly form a dough, shape it into a rectangle, and let it rest for 15 minutes wrapped in parchment paper, which will be used later for rolling it out.
Place the shortcrust dough on the pastry board, leaving the parchment paper underneath. Use a rolling pin (or a glass bottle if you don’t have one) to roll out a rectangle 9 x 12 inches and a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Spread pistachio cream (available in all stores) over the entire surface and sprinkle with pistachio granules.
Slowly roll from the longer side, bringing the two sides to meet in the middle, first one side and then the other. To avoid mistakes, mark the center. Apply a little pressure to attach them, wrap it in the underlying paper, and place the roll in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Retrieve the roll and cut into slices about 1/3 inch thick using a knife. Use your fingertips to shape the point into a heart. Place them spaced out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rest another 15 minutes in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350°F in static mode.
Bake and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and let rest for a few minutes with the door ajar. Once cooled, remove them from the tray, and you can store the Easy Hearts for Valentine’s Day in a sealed jar.
