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1
Sift the cake flour together with the cocoa powder.
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2
Sift powdered sugar separately.
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3
Soften butter in the microwave or leave at room temperature.
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4
Whip the butter well until creamy in texture.
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5
If the butter ends up melting completely in the microwave, then start over and put it back in the refrigerator.
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6
Add sifted powdered sugar to the whipped butter.
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7
Whip together until the mixture is creamy white.
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8
Regular sugar will not produce as crisp a cookie as the powdered sugar.
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9
Add the sifted cake flour and cocoa powder in 3 batches to the whipped butter.
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10
Mix briskly as if cutting through the dough, taking care not to knead too much.
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11
Wrap dough into a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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12
Afterwards, the dough will be rolled out so use a large piece of plastic wrap.
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13
While the dough is in the refrigerator, make[Handy Chocolate Cream] (Ganache) Just in case, I have listed simple directions for the ganache below.
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14
Heat the heavy cream and mizuame in a sauce pan on low heat.
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15
Turn off the heat as soon as it starts to boil.
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16
You may add one tablespoon of rum, if you prefer.
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17
Break the chocolate up into smaller pieces and add to the mixture from Step 8.
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18
Mix the ingredients from Step 9 very well until all the chocolate has melted and become creamy.
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19
Let sit to cool.
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20
While the chocolate cream is still warm, put it in a pastry bag with an approximately 3 mm attached nozzle.
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21
Alternatively, you may use a plastic bag with the tip of the corner snipped off.
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22
Roast the walnuts in an oven preheated to 170C.
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23
If you are using roasted walnuts then you may skip this step.
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24
Walnuts pictured here are twice the listed portion.
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25
Remove the dough from the refrigerator.
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26
Unfold and spread the wrap.
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27
Place another large piece of plastic wrap over the dough.
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28
Roll out the dough thinly using a rolling pin.
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29
Be careful not to crack the dough.
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30
2 cookies will be sandwiched together so roll out the dough thinner than usual.
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31
Place the dough in the refrigerator again for about 15 minutes.
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32
This will make it easier to cut out beautifully shaped cookies from the thin dough.
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33
I used 2 different sized heart shapes for the cut-outs.
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34
If you do not have 2 different sizes, you can use a round shape instead of the large heart-shaped cutter.
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35
Cut out the dough using the large heart-shape cutter and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
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36
Set aside half of the large heart-shaped cut-outs from Step 18.
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37
Cut smaller heart shapes out of these by placing the smaller heart-shape cutter in the middle of the large hearts.
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38
If this is difficult to maneuver, work on top of the parchment paper placed on the baking tray.
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39
Carefully push the smaller heart-shaped cookie dough through from the back of the parchment paper using your fingers.
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40
All 3 different heart shapes should be baked in an oven pre-heated to 180C for 15-20 minutes.
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41
Leave the cookies to cool at room temperature.
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42
Be careful not to touch the cookies while they are still warm as they will be too soft to handle.
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43
Pipe the chocolate ganache from Step 11 on the large heart cookie.
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44
You will place another cookie on top so keep that in mind and pipe the ganache towards the inner rim of the cookie.
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45
Place the cookie with the middle portion cut out on top of the large heart-shaped cookie and press lightly.
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46
Pipe the ganache into the middle portion of the cookie.
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47
Fill the cookie with chopped roasted walnuts from Step 12 and chopped dried fruits and you are done.
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48
For Step 26, the ganache will act as a gluing agent for the walnuts and dried fruits so pipe a small amount as needed.
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49
[Caramelized cinnamon walnuts] are used as fillings here.
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50
This is delicious so give it a try.
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51
The small heart-shaped cookies can be used to make gorgeous ganache cookies as well.
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52
Pipe the ganache and finely chopped roasted walnuts on one side.
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53
Pipe additional ganache over the walnuts and place the second cookie over it.
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54
You will have a cute and delicious ganache cookie.
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55
This cookie dough is extra crispy just like the vanilla cookies so they are fine stacked.
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56
The roasted walnuts make them even crispier.
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57
I use this ganache for my homemade macarons and cookies as gifts.
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58
They do not fall apart even when they are dropped into a bag.
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59
I have listed the steps in details so even a beginner will not fail but it is very easy to make and you can show off a little.
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60
I perched these cookies on top of the muffins for my[For Valentine's Day Easy muffins with heart shaped cookies].
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61
Please give this a try.
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62
For Valentine's Day, I have uploaded the[Heart-shaped macarons].
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63
Please give this a try as well.
