PLASTIC HEART COOKIE CUTTER RECIPES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a mixer (or with a handheld mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, then mix again until thoroughly combined.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient and mix together until you have a thick mixture, but it will be spreadable (similar to peanut butter).
• Baking depends a lot on a lot of different factors – add the last cup of flour slowly until you get the right consistency. If you add it all, yours might be too dry.
• Wrap the mixture with clear plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator for an hour or so until completely chilled. Half the mixture, then roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper until it is the desired thickness (no additional flour needed = no mess - yay!). Cut with cutters, then bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until bottom JUST begins to brown. Keep an eye on them, they'll bake rather quickly.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup granulated sugar with butter until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well combined. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture; mix until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto work surface and divide into quarters. Form each quarter into a 5-inch disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator. Let chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place lychees in the bowl of a food processor; process until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan along with raspberry jam and prosecco. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until jam mixture has reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer cooled jam mixture to a disposable pastry bag fitted with a medium petal decorating tip (such as a Wilton No. 104).
• Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats and set aside. Place a piece of parchment paper over the heart-shaped template and trace; cut out heart shape. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 5-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 2 heart shapes; transfer to prepared baking sheet.
• Place parchment paper template over one of the cut out hearts and, using the sides of a metal ruler or the back of a knife, score lines to divide the heart into 7 sections (see template). Using an offset spatula, gently press down on the sections of the heart cookie that are to be filled with jam (see template). Repeat process with remaining pieces of dough. Outline indented areas with jam mixture. Draw several zigzags across entire surface of the outlined area. If necessary, use a toothpick to spread evenly to cover area. Transfer cookies to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer cookies to oven and bake until edges are golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Divide royal icing evenly between two bowls. Using a toothpick, add two drops pink-rose gel coloring to one bowl of icing; stir until well combined. If icing is not pink enough, add a few more drops of food coloring until you have created a light-pink color. In the remaining bowl of icing, add 3 or 4 drops of pink-rose gel food coloring using a toothpick; stir until well combined. Using a toothpick, add 1 drop of sky-blue gel food coloring; stir until well combined. Keep adding drops of blue food coloring until icing is a raspberry color. Transfer each bowl of icing to a disposable pastry bag fitted with a round tip (such as Wilton No. 3).
• Cut out pieces of parchment paper about the same size and shape as the jam-filled areas of the cookie; spray each piece with nonstick vegetable cooking spray and cover jam areas. Using the light-pink royal icing, outline the pink areas of the cookie (see template). Draw several zigzags across entire surface of the outlined area. If necessary, use a toothpick to spread evenly. Sprinkle with pink pastel sanding sugar to cover.
• Using the raspberry royal icing, outline the raspberry areas of the cookie (see template). Draw several zigzags across entire surface of the outlined area. If necessary, use a toothpick to spread evenly. Sprinkle with raspberry sanding sugar to cover. Peel parchment off jam-filled areas and let cookies dry completely.