Craft & bake ideas for Valentine's Day

APPLETON - Valentine's Day is just around the corner!

FOX 11's Angela Kelly spent some time with local experts on Friday's Good Day Wisconsin, to see their ideas for crafting and baking for the day devoted to the ones we love.

Sandra Began, owner of Sandra Began Everyday based in Appleton, shared her ideas for crafts. 

The Pastry Chefs/Instructors at Fox Valley Technical College shared their ideas for baking up some Valentine's Day treats.  You'll find the recipes below!

Click on the video links to your left to watch all four of the segments.

Lemon Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

Yield = 3 ½  dozen (3”cookies)

Butter                                       8 oz.

Shortening                                4 oz.

Sugar                                       7 oz.

Brown Sugar                            3 oz.

Vanilla                                      3 tsp.

Almond Extract                        ½ tsp.

Lemon Oil                                ½  tsp.

Lemon Zest                              1 T

Eggs                                         2

 

All PurposeFlour                      1# 4 oz.

Baking Powder                         1 tsp.

Salt                                          ½ tsp.

 

Icing Glaze:                                                                 Royal Icing for Piping:

Powdered Sugar                       1#                                Powdered Sugar           2#

Corn Syrup                              2 Tbls.                          Meringue Powder         2 Tbls.

Water                                       3 ½ oz.                         Warm Water                ¼  cup

Vanilla                                      1 tsp.                            Vanilla                          1 tsp.

 

1.       Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.  Set aside.

2.       In a 5 quart mixing bowl, outfitted with a paddle, cream the butter, shortening,  sugars, zest and flavorings on 1 ^st speed until combined.  Scrape the bowl, then increase speed to 2 ^nd and beat until light and fluffy.  Scrape the bowl.

3.       Add egg and beat again until fluffy.  Scrape the bowl.

4.       Gradually add flour mixture - beat until well combined.

5.       Roll into a lightly floured surface to ¼” thick.  Cut-out the cookies as closely together as possible, then using a lightly flour spatula, transfer each cookie to a parchment-lined.  A second method is to roll the dough out onto sprayed-parchment lined-sprayed sheet pans.  Then cut the cookies, leaving an inch between each and removing the excess dough, leaving the cookies intact on the same sheet pan.

6.       Use assorted sizes of heart shaped cookie cutters dipped in flour.  If you want to make the stained glass cookies, then cut out the inside of the heart cut-outs using a smaller cutter.

7.       Bake at 325° (convection) for 12 minutes, rotating the pans half way through.

8.       Allow to cool before icing

9.       To make the icing glaze:  In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment on 1 ^st speed mix the powdered sugar, water, corn syrup and flavorings until completely smooth and glossy.  Use immediately or store tightly covered in cooler.

10.  To make the royal icing for piping:  Combine the powdered sugar and the meringue powder in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment on 1 ^st speed.  Slowly add the warm water.  Increase to 2 ^nd speed and beat until light and fluffy.  Scrape the bowl, add the vanilla and beat to combine.

 

Chocolate Mascarpone Tart

Sugar Cookie Crust:

• Butter   8 oz.
• Shortening        4 oz.
• Sugar   7 oz.
• Brown Sugar    3 oz.
• Vanilla  3 tsp.
• Almond Extract            ½ tsp.
• Lemon Oil        ½  tsp.
• Lemon Zest      1 T
• Eggs     2
• All Purpose Flour         1# 4 oz.
• Baking Powder1 tsp.
• Salt      ½ tsp.

Directions for the crust:  Preheat oven to 350°

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.  Set aside.
2. In a 5 quart mixing bowl, outfitted with a paddle, cream the butter, shortening,  sugars, zest and flavorings on 1 ^st speed until combined.  Scrape the bowl, then increase speed to 2 ^nd and beat until light and fluffy.  Scrape the bowl.
3. Add egg and beat again until fluffy.  Scrape the bowl.
4. Gradually add flour mixture - beat until well combined.
5. Spray heart shaped tartlet tins (or grease and flour).  Gently press into the tartlet mold to form a shell.  Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
6. Place a paper muffin cup in the tartlet and fill with dried beans or pie weights (this will weight down the dough while baking and decrease any air pockets).
7. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, remove from oven and remove the paper liners with the weights.  Return to the oven and bake until golden brown (about another 5-10 minutes).  Allow to cool, then remove from the tins.

Filling:

• 16 oz. Mascarpone cheese
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• 2 Tbsp. Kahlua or Amaretto

For the filling: In a large bowl and using a large spoon, stir the mascarpone and melted chocolate together until blended and no white streaks