Be My Valentine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a medium saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, add flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball, approx. one minute.  Remove from heat.  Add eggs all at once to the flour mixture in the saucepan, immediately with a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and glossy. (My mom always used a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs by hand, but I have found the hand mixer to be much easier)  Spoon 1/4 scant cups of mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet.  This will make 6 puffs.  Bake 30 – 40 minutes until puffed and golden.  Cool completely.  Slice off top, remove any fragments of dough in the middle, fill with ice cream, drizzle with desired topping and serve immediately.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake pan with 18 liners.

Melt together the butter and 4 ounces of chocolate over medium heat, still until melted. Add vanilla. In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the eggs well. Add sugar and flour. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until fully combined. Fill liners, 2/3 full.

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and salt until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons on the top center of each cupcake.

Bake cupcakes for 30 minutes.

Cool cupcakes.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and chocolate chips. Stir constantly until smooth. Dip each cupcake in the ganache, cool.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add buttermilk. Add baking soda, flour and lemon zest. Stir in lemon extract, mix until well combined. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 4 hours .Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough to 1/8 inch on a floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters, place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 6 – 7 minutes. Cool on rack.

This recipes makes 4 – 5 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.

Notes

Citrus glaze – In a medium mixing bowl mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with orange juice (add 1 – 2 tablespoons at a time) until you have a thin spreading consistency. I also like to add 1 teaspoon fresh orange rind and lemon rind grated to my glaze. Spread glaze on cooled cookies.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar on low speed for 1 minute, then beat at medium speed for one minute. Reduce speed to low and add the egg, vanilla, and baking powder. Add flour, one cup at a time until incorporated. The dough will be stiff. On a floured surface roll out 1/2 of the dough approx. 1/8 inch thick. Flour cookie cutters before using. Bake cookies 6 – 8 or until slightly browned around the edges.

Notes

The icing I use is 2 cups of powdered sugar, 3 – 5 tablespoons water (or more if needed) Slowly add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have a smooth spreading consistency. This icing will dry hard and shiny.