We wanted to share some Valentine’s day love with a recipe for a decadent and delicious dessert. This easy-to-make recipe for these heart-shaped treats is from our executive pastry chef. Read below for instructions and ingredients necessary to create this sweet confection. From all of us at JDK, we wish you the sweetest Valentine’s Day!
Special Equipment Needed:
Parchment paper
3 ½” heart-shaped cookie cutter or template
12” pastry bag (disposable ones can be found in craft stores)
Large star tip
Hand-held mixer
Chocolate Meringue Heart Cup Ingredients:
2 egg whites
3 T sugar
2 T cocoa
2 T chocolate chips
¼ C fresh berries
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place cookie cutter or template on parchment paper and trace around the edge
2. Turn paper over (otherwise, ink/pencil may transfer to the meringue cup!) and place on a baking sheet.
3. Place egg whites and sugar into a small bowl. On low speed of a hand-held mixer, whip whites and sugar until foamy. Add cocoa.
4. Starting on low speed, incorporate cocoa into egg white mixture. When cocoa is incorporated, gradually increase speed to high. Whip until stiff peak stage.
5. Spoon meringue mixture into pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Following the traced heart form on the parchment paper, pipe the base of the heart (keep piping as flat as possible). Pipe three more layers around edge of heart to form the sides of the cup.
6. Place baking sheet on the bottom rack of a 350 degree pre-heated oven. Bake for one hour.
7. Hearts will have “puffed” a bit after baking. Use the tip of a spoon to flatten the bottoms.
8. Leaving the hearts in the oven, turn oven off and close the door. Allow to sit in oven for 4-6 hours or until completely dry.
9. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
10. Dip the tip of a dinner knife into melted chocolate and drizzle chocolate over hearts
11. Refrigerate briefly to set chocolate (do not leave hearts in refrigerator for and extended period of time—they will soften).
Strawberry Cream Filling Ingredients:
3oz package cream cheese
3oz package strawberry gelatin
4 T water
¼ C non-dairy whipped topping.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and water. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth
3. Add gelatin mixture to cream cheese. Whip until smooth
4. Add whipped topping. Whip until smooth
5. Refrigerate until ready to use
ASSEMBLY:
1. Spoon filling into heart cups (there will some left over).
2. Top with fresh berries
3. Enjoy
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