Try these delicious Valentine's Day treats out. Perfect for two cooks in the kitchen!
Strawberry Nutella Poptarts
Yield: 6 Poptarts
Ingredients:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
1 package refrigerated pie crust
6 heaping teaspoons Nutella
6 heaping teaspoons strawberry jelly
2 large strawberries, sliced lengthwise and carved into hearts
coarse sugar (or granulated sugar)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water. Set aside.
Roll out pie crust till it's pretty thin (about 1/16th of an inch thick).
Cut into 2.5 inch x 3.5 inch rectangles, re-rolling the dough as needed. You should end up with 12 rectangles.
Take 6 of the rectangles and cut out a heart in the center, using the strawberries carved into hearts as a guide. Set aside.
On each of the 6 remaining rectangles, spread 1 heaping teaspoon of Nutella, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Then top the Nutella with a layer of strawberry jam, again making sure to leave a 1/2 inch border.
Place a strawberry carved heart on top of the strawberry jam layer, in the center of the rectangle. Top with the pie dough with the heart carved out of the center.
Seal the edges with the prongs of a fork and brush with egg wash mixture. Sprinkle heavily with coarse sugar.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes and then serve!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
For the frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions:
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat eggs, oil, heavy cream, food coloring, vanilla extract, and vinegar in a large bowl until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake tin). Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes; then turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Frosting recipe to follow.
For the frosting:
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Frost cupcakes using your favorite tip and chill for 2 hours to set frosting before piping onto cupcakes. Once chilled, frost cupcakes.
Serve immediately, or store cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Remove cupcake from fridge and allow to sit for 10 minutes before eating.
First Coast News