Let's Celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi

Thanks for visiting my blog. I was waiting to start a blog for a long time n share my knowledge about cooking and baking because i believe in

''To teach, is to touch a life forever''

I went and learnt cake decorating in a Michaels store Wilton Cake Decorating calsses n successfully completed all the 4 courses in it.I named my blog long time back but didnt get any time to post something in it .Then came valentines day when i broke out of lazyness and prepared the cookies and chocolate basket cake full of fondant(edible) roses for my hubby. I will post this recipe for the chocolate cake very soon!!!


Happy Valentines Day
source-Wikipedia

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.

Apart from the reason of why people celebrate valentines day.I personaly feel that each day is a special day for everyone.So I thought ok whatever the reason might be,its party time so lets celebrate.........

Raspberry Jam Sandwich Hearts
recipe source-Williams Sonoma"Essentials of Baking"

Ingredients:

Makes 16 cookie sandwiches and 16 miniature heart cookies
2 1/2 cups maida(all purpose flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature(that means leave the butter on a table for an hour it will become soft do not melt it)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp almond extract

6 tbsp seedless raspberry jam at room temperature

Raw material's u need:

Deep round bowl

Wooden spoon or hand blender with whisk attachment

rolling pin

baking tray

parchment paper or aluminium foil

plastic cling wrap

heart shaped cookie cutters 2 1/2 inch and 1-inch or cookie cutter of ur choice

sieve (like ur tea strainer)

Method:

Remember that first n foremost baking anything is very easy until u follow the exact measurements

• In a large bowl,combine the butter and powdered sugar.Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Add the vanilla and almond essence and mix once again until well blended
• Now add the salt and maida in small quantities and mix well until the dough comes togeather in large clumps.Press the dough togeather into a ball like a chapati dough, it will be bit sticky but dont worry.
• Divide it into 2 balls.Gather each ball n flatten into a small disk,wrap in plastic cling wrap,and refrigerate until firm,about 40 mins
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment(baking) paper,meanwhile preheat oven to 325*F
• Remove 1 dough disk from the fridge.Lightly dust a work surface with flour in the same way as we do for chapathi.Roll out the dough bit thick .
• Using a 2 1/2 -inch heart shaped cookie cutter,cut out the 16+16 cookies.
• Place 16 of them on a cookie sheet.
• Next take the remaining 16 cookies and 1 inch heart shaped cookie cutter n using it cut out the center of the cookies.
• Seperate the miniature hearts from it place each of the cut out cookies on the baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies,until the edges are light brown for 12-15 min's.
• Remove and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 min's
• Next place the cut out cookies(heart shape which in turn has a heart cut into it) seperate ,put some powdered sugar onto a seive n dust the cookies with this sugar.
• Take the whole cookies and spread the raspberry jam onto it then place this cut out cookies onto it.