VALENTINE’ S
CUPID’ S Edible Creations cont.
Sweetheart Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
• A little Trex, for greasing
• 1 medium egg
• 2-3 drops vanilla extract
• 75g caster sugar
• 100g Trex, at room temperature
• 200g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 50g polenta or semolina
To Decorate
• 250g icing sugar
• Pink food colouring
METHOD
1. Position the oven shelves towards the top of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C / fan oven 180 ° C / Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease two baking trays with a little Trex.
2. Beat the egg, vanilla extract and sugar together using a wooden spoon.
3. Put the Trex into a mixing bowl with 150g( 6oz) flour and the salt. Beat together with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the egg and sugar mixture. Add the remaining flour and polenta or semolina and mix together to make a smooth dough.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured worktop and roll out with a floured rolling pin until 5mm( 1 / 4 in) thick. Use 2 or 3 different-sized heart-shaped cutters to stamp into biscuits. Transfer to the prepared baking trays.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes until light golden brown. Cool for a few minutes on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Mix 75g( 3oz) icing sugar with a little water to make a stiff icing. Pipe carefully around the edge of the biscuits using a small icing bag fitted with a fine plain icing tube. Leave to set. Mix the remaining icing sugar with a little water and 1-2 drops of pink colouring to give a pale pink icing. Spread over the biscuits one at a time, so that it reaches the piped edges. Leave until set.
Plum Beautiful Cheesecake Tarts
INGREDIENTS
• 6 individual bought pastry cases
• 6 South African Flavorking plums, pitted and thinly sliced
• 100g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 / 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 passion fruit
• 20g light muscovado sugar
• Fresh mint, to decorate
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C, fan 160 ° C, Gas Mark 4. 2. Put the pastry cases onto a baking sheet. Share half the sliced plums between the cases.
3. Beat together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, caster sugar and egg yolk. Spoon into the pastry cases. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set.
4. While the cheesecake tarts are baking, put the remaining plums into a saucepan and scoop in the flesh from the passion fruit. Add the muscovado sugar and 3 tablespoons of water. Simmer gently for 3- 4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
5. Serve the tarts while barely warm, with the plum and passion fruit mixture spooned on top, decorated with mint leaves.
Cook’ s tip: If you like, use one large pastry case instead of individual ones – though you may have to bake this for a few minutes longer to set the cheesecake filling.
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