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Quick fun little Valentine Cookie

Here is a quick fun little decorating idea for Valentine's cookies. I am still on a lovebug kick.

Also, re-check yesterday's recipe! I mis-typed some of the ingredients! I am so sorry! {for the record, the first recipe wasn't a "BAD" one, I just made about 4 different versions to tweak it to my personal preference, and I accidentally posted version 3, rather than 4 =)}

· Ladybug, Valentine's Day, video tutorial, wet-on-wet

A Glorious Friendship

The first time I "met" Glory it was over a cookie she'd made with fondant. I came across it on Flickr, and I was in the middle of telling her how pretty I thought it was, when I read her caption pointing out that her elegant embossed fondant cookie in fact, looked like an egg.

From that day on, I remembered her. Before then, she was only an online stranger that created these beautiful treats. However, that day in my eyes she became a real person. A REAL, funny person that made beautiful things but still wasn't afraid to laugh at herself, which REALLY appealed to me.

Over the last two years I've had the pleasure of getting to know her much better, and my respect and admiration for her have only grown. I gave her the nickname Glory-bee because it just suits her. It's positive and happy and bright, and since she lives in sunny California, it only makes sense.

As much as I admire her, you can only imagine how excited I was when my amazing friend asked me if I would consider making cookies for her daughter Joy's fourth birthday.

*Um, HECK YEAH*

I wasn't just happy, I was completely flattered and more inspired than I had been in AGES.

I always tease Glory and call her Mini-Martha, {only nicer} because everything she touches she transforms into beautiful.

Once again, she did not dissapoint. When she sent me the photos from Joy's party, I was floored. She put together the most AMAZING party and I got to contribute.

I have a few of the gorgeous photos here, but they don't even begin to tell the whole story, so be sure to read about all of the fun details on her blog, Glorious Treats.

*party photos by Gene Chutka

Seeing pictures of the party left me so excited that I pretty much got ladybug fever. My mind was going a million miles an hour thinking of all of the fun ladybug-themed cookies I could do. Especially with Valentine's Day coming so soon.

Lucky for me, I knew just who to ask for help. When I mentioned to my crafty friend Mique from Thirty Handmade Days that I wanted to do ladybug-themed Valentine's she got right to work and designed this adorable printable. The best thing is, you can get it too, just click on the picture below.

Aren't they CUTE!!!

I filled mine with these three heart ladybug cookies, but there are so many options, really...

You could do lots of itty bitty heart shaped ladies,

Cute little ladybug themed "Love" cookies,

Double heart ladies,

Or even ladybug cuppies {which I will show you how to make tomorrow}

Really the possibilities are endless!

I really had a good time with this. I was so excited to have had the chance to work with a friend. It was inspiring and fun. But the best part of it was the reason I love making cookie most...

Do you know what that is?

This!!! It's the smile on precious little faces like this one that make me LOVE what I do!

Happy birthday, JOY!!!

· children's parties, cookie crafts, ladybugs, printables, Valentine's Day

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

My husband wanted chocolate cupcakes for Valentine's Day. I really wanted an excuse to use these cute Wilton flower cupcake holders. Win-Win situation!

I got the chocolate heart shaped sprinkles at Lola's in Mayfair.

This is only my second time making vegan cupcakes so I'm still getting the hang of it. I think the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World book is a good place to get started in that kind of baking.

The cake was nice and moist and a little spongy. I made a "cooked" chocolate frosting to go on top.

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes
adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (makes 12)

Ingredients

1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup self-rising flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Line tray with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the soy milk and the apple cider vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and almond extract to the soy milk and beat for 2 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture in two batches to soy milk mixture and beat until the ingredients are combined.

4. Fill each cup two thirds full and bake for 20 minutes. The batter is very thin but don't worry it will all bake nicely. Set aside to cool completely.

Cooked Chocolate Frosting

adapted from Country Living

Ingredients

1 cup soy milk

3 tbs flour

1/8 tsp salt

8 ounces/220g dark chocolate

1/2 cup soy margarine

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 tbs cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1. Whisk 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons flour and salt in a small saucepan over medium low heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble

2. Melt the dark chocolate and set aside to cool. Beat the margarine and vegetable shortening in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat in the cooled chocolate, soy milk mixture and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Pipe on cooled cupcakes right away.

· chocolate, cupcakes, holidays, Valentine's Day, vegan

Mini Boston Cream Pies

I'm trying to squeeze in as many Valentine's Day themed desserts as I can. I made these super cute Mini Boston Cream Pies for the Forever Nigella #2 "Seduced by Chocolate"! I didn't have any fairy lights around but I did make these wearing a satiny black nightgown from M&S. I'll have to ask Sarah if that counts as a good Nigella impression.

I really wanted to call these Whoopie Boston Cream Pies, but they're just not. The Victoria Sponge is clearly only a cake. I think the way they turned out was perfect though. Cute and dainty for Valentine's Day. A whoopie pie wouldn't be as romantic.

Nigella suggests a full sized heart shaped Victoria Sponge topped with strawberries but I think anything mini is automatically 10x cuter so I made the cake in my heart shaped whoopie pie pan. I also put the strawberries in the middle with the custard as I think it looks nice with the custard oozing out the sides and the red in the middle.

I curled my first ribbon! How Martha Stewart of me (ribbon £1 at Paperchase).

Whats more Valentine's Day than dark chocolate and strawberries? These little cakes would make a great present for your sweetheart!
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Making the chocolate glaze

Adding a little oomph to store bought custard

The recipe I used is from How to be a Domestic Goddess. I made a few changes:

I used a heart shaped whoopie pie pan and cooked the cakes for 10 minutes at 180 C
I substituted a single soy cream for the double cream in the chocolate glaze (it wouldn't be very nice to poison my sweetheart would it!)
I didn't make the custard as homemade with soy products isn't as thick as the store bought. I did stir in some vanilla bean paste to it so it had lovely little black flecks
I made sure to use a good quality chocolate for the glaze. I used a 60% chocolate so it was very rich and nicely balanced with the sweetness of the cake and tartness of the strawberries

Don't be afraid of the "100% Plant Goodness". It tastes like normal custard

This pan has so many uses

· cake, chocolate, fruit, holidays, Valentine's Day

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

First recipe for Valentine's Day this year! I found this Wilton heart shaped whoopie pie pan at Jane Asher and I'm afraid that any time I make whoopie pies now they're all going to be heart shaped because I love this pan! I love that they look so cute and sleek but are still fun like whoopie pies should be.

I decided to go with the classic red velvet cake and for the filling a vanilla mascarpone cream (mascarpone being my new favorite ingredient). They taste amazing (the cake is so soft when you bite into it) but turned out a little more brown than I would have liked. Nothing is better than a bright red cake. Next time I'll use better food coloring. A small box of these would be so cute to give to a special someone on Valentine's Day.

I got this adorable heart shaped plate at Paperchase. I'm hoping they're on sale after Valentine's Day, I really want another one!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

adapted from whoopie pies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup crisco or trex

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

red gel paste (I was stupid and used liquid which made it a lame orange brown color)

1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup soy milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease tin. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl.

2. In a large bowl beat together the butter, shortening and both sugars for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until combined. Add the vanilla and red food coloring and beat.

3. Add half the flour and half the buttermilk and beat on low until incorporated add the remaining mixture and buttermilk and beat until fully combined.

4. Drop one tablespoon of batter on the baking sheet and space each pie about 2 inches apart (I used a piping bag for my pan this time to see if it would result in a smoother surface. It did seem to help a little bit but was a lot more messy and time consuming). Bake one tray at a time for 10 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.

My super 4 tier cooling rack from Lakeland is another story

5. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Vanilla Mascarpone Cream Filling

adapted from Martha Stewart

250g Mascarpone, chilled

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 cup double cream

1 tbs vanilla

1. Beat the double cream in a small bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir the mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla together until combined. Gently fold the double cream in to the mascarpone mixture. Refrigerate if not using straight away.

2. Pipe or spread approximately 1-2 tablespoons of filling on a the inside of one pie and sandwich with another pie. Store in an airtight container. I kept mine refrigerated and removed 20 minutes before eating.

You can also check it out here.

· cake, holidays, Valentine's Day, whoopie pies

Archive HOT

Quick fun little Valentine Cookie

A Glorious Friendship

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

Mini Boston Cream Pies

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

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