Hearts and Love Letter Cookies For A Valentines Afternoon Tea

Make your Valentine’s Day tea party, a special one with cut-out cookie hearts and love letters. This no-spread recipe makes it easy to show off your cutest cookie shapes. FULL COOKIE RECIPE: 1 C (2 sticks) 227g unsalted butter 1 C (200g) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3 1/2 (437.5g) to 4 C plain (all-purpose) flour 1/2 C (64g) Cornstarch 3/4 tsp (4.5 g) kosher salt 1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract HALF RECIPE WILL MAKE ABOUT 40 SMALL COOKIES FOR TEA: 1/2 C (1 sticks) 113g unsalted butter 1/2 C (100g) granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 C (250g) flour 1/4 C (32g) cornstarch 1/4 tsp (rounded) 2g Kosher salt 1/2 tsp (2g) vanilla extract INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 375F / 190C / gas mark 5 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat In a stand mixer, mix sugar and butter (cubed) until combined. Add egg and vanilla. While that mixes, sift flour, cornstarch, and salt together. (If salt grains are too large to pass through sifter, add separately) Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time until fully mixed and the dough forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. About 2-3 minutes. Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment or waxed paper, to about 1/4” to 1/2” thick. Cut cookie shapes and place on cookie sheet. Bake cookies 9-12 minutes, until edges are just beginning to brown. Cook completely on a wire rack before icing. Takes about 1/2 hour, FULL COOKIE ICING RECIPE: 3 C (375g) powdered (icing) sugar - sifted after measuring to remove lumps 2 Tb light corn syrup 4 Tb milk 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Food coloring HALF RECIPE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO COVER THE HALF MEASUREMENTS GIVEN FOR THE COOKIE RECIPE: 1 1/2 C (188g) powdered sugar 1 Tb light corn syrup 2 Tb milk 1/4 tsp vanilla extract Food coloring INSTRUCTIONS: Mix all ingredients until a ribbon of icing remains on the surface a few seconds before dissolving back into the bowl. Fill a piping bag and outline each cookie. Then fill each cookie, coaxing the icing to the outline with a toothpick and smoothing any air bubbles. Give cookies several hours to dry, possibly overnight. The icing will set up and become stackable. The cookies will be good for several days if they are kept in an airtight container. Cookie recipe based on cutout cookies from bakingamoment.com Video produced by A_Spot_Of_Tea