Windowpane Heart Valentine’s Day Cookies

Here is a very, very sweet recipe that we know your kids will love and think is fun looking! For this Valentne’s Day we decided to make “windowpane heart” valentine’s cookies! If you don’t have time to make the sugar cookie dough, just buy some store made cookie doe that you can roll out and Jolly Ranchers. You will have a whole lotta lovin’ cookies in no time!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• Hard candy for cookie center (try Jolly Ranchers)

To make the dough:

1.  Using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, cream the butter, gradually adding the sugar. Beat in the egg until evenly mixed, then blend in the vanilla extract and salt.

2.  With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the creamed ingredients, about one third at a time, until evenly blended. The dough may seem soft, but it will firm up when refrigerated.

3.  Divide the dough in half. Flatten each portion into a disk and seal in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

To create the cookies:

1.  Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover a sturdy baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat the foil with cooking spray. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet.

2.  Cut out the cookies with a large cookie cutter. Use a spatula to transfer the shapes to the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies. Remove the centers of the cookies with a smaller cookie cutter. (Save the centers to bake later.)

3.  Place a hard candy (we used Jolly Ranchers) in the center of each heart and bake until the cookies start to brown lightly around the edges and the candy is melted, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. To prevent sticking, line your serving plate or tin with waxed paper and place additional waxed paper between layers. Makes 30.

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AT www.letop-usa.com

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Le Top Chef Series: Chocolate Cake in a Mug

…IN 5 MINUTES!

I received this recipe from my friend, Amber (from Boerne, TX). She found it on one of the many blogs that she reads (like ours!) and made this delicious little cake IN A MUG! She raves about how easy this recipe is and thought our le•top readers would enjoy it as well. Perfect little project to do with your child on a cold, rainy day!

I wish I could try this as a Valentine treat, but with gestational diabetes, I’m going to have to wait until after my little munchkin delivers. It’s a perfect dessert for two, or for someone eating for two. 😉

Five Minute Chocolate Cake In A Mug For Two

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp chocolate chips
a splash of vanilla
1 large mug

Mix all the dry ingredients in a mug. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the
milk and oil, and mix the batter well. Then add the chocolate chips and vanilla, and mix again.

Place the mug in your microwave oven (1000 watts) and cook for 3 min. The cake will rise over the top of the mug but don’t be alarmed. Allow the cake to cool a bit and tip out on a plate if desired or eat right out of the mug. Serve with ice cream on the side. Voilá… dessert for two. (Thanks, Amber!)

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