posted by Kerri 02-08-100 12:45 PM
Valentine Heart Necklaces
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 drinking straw
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
red food coloring (optional)
multi-colored sprinkles, silver dragees, or pastel sugar crystals for decorating
60 long cherry or strawberry flavored licorice whips
Cream 1 cup butter or margarine and 3/4 cup white sugar together. Blend in egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and grated lemon peel.
Sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture and blend well. Cover and refrigerate dough for approximately 2-3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Use a floured heart shaped 1-2 inch cookie cutter and cut dough into heart shapes. Lightly spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the cut-out hearts on the cookie sheet.
Using the drinking straw, make a hole at the top center of each heart before
baking. Bake for 5-7 minutes until very lightly browned. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
To Make Butter Frosting: Mix 3 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup butter together. Stir in 1 1/2
teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat until smooth making sure frosting is of spreading consistency. Stir in food coloring to create a pink or red colored frosting, if desired.
After cookies have cooled, frost and decorate them with nonpareils, sprinkles, dragees, or colored sugar. Use a toothpick to dislodge the hole, if necessary. Let the frosting dry.
To make a necklace, tie the ends off of two pieces of red colored licorice with a knot. Thread it through the
hole at the top center of the cookie. Tie the other ends off with another knot to create a "chain."
Makes approximately 30 heart necklaces.
Makes 30 cookies >>