Will You Be My Valentine?

   

     I woke up on Valentine's Day to a kiss, a hug and this card.  How sweet.  I hadn't even gotten my card yet, because we weren't supposed to celebrate until the next day because of work.  He was a step ahead and I was flattered.  This definitely deserved some Valentine's Day Cookies. I called on Martha, yet again.  

THE INGREDIENTS

THE DIRECTIONS

• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and set it to the side
• This recipe called for me to use the paddle attachment, which I had never used.  So, I put the attachment on and creamed the butter and the sugar together, until it is light and fluffy. (You have seen what this looks like in other posts, I hope, I forgot to take a picture! Oops!

• While the mixer is still running, add the egg, milk (can swap out for brandy), and vanilla.  Mix until it is combined, then with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.

• Transfer dough to a work surface (in my case, a baking sheet), Shape into two discs and cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate it for at LEAST an hour. DO NOT get impatient! The dough is best worked with when cold.  Trust me! (If you want, you can freeze your dough and use it for later.  I also read that it will be good in the refrigerator for 3 days.)
• After your hour is up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  It says you can line your baking sheet with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper.  I used parchment paper.  (I am not sure what all grocery stores carry this, but I got mine at Jo-Ann Fabrics.  I know it is also at Hobby Lobby and Michael's) Set the pan aside.

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out douch to 1/8 inch thickness.  I put flour on some parchment paper for my work surface.  
• When the ends crack like that, you can just press them back together.  Roll it out a little, flip the dough and roll it some more.  Repeat until it is 1/8 of an inch. 

• Then cut the dough into the desired shape, in my case, a heart! I got these at Michael's.  I used these and another one I got from Hobby Lobby.

Had this much dough left at the end, and it was perfect to make one big heart!

• After you cut your shapes, you can roll the dough back into a ball.  I would suggest refrigerating it, because it will soften while you are cutting the first batch.  Warm dough will not keep its shape.
• Also, a tip on Martha's website said to dip your cookie cutter in flour before cutting.  I found that this helped.

• My first batch of cuts were not the best, because my dough got a little warm.  

• The second batch of cuts was a lot prettier! 
• Bake until lightly golden and do not allow them to brown.  The directions called for 10 minutes at 350 degrees and I did exactly that.  They came out perfect! 
• Transfer them to a cooling rack. 

My tinier ones browned a little, but they were still good!

• I made the icing while the cookies cooled.

THE INGREDIENTS

• Before this recipe, I had never heard of meringue powder.  Boy, do I know what it is now and where to find it! When I started my search for meringue powder, I thought that it was just a simple ingredient.  I had no idea that I was going to have to search for it.  I shop at H-E-B, so that was my first stop.  OUT OF STOCK.  My next stop was Kroger. NO WHERE TO BE FOUND.  I did a little googling when I got home.  I was getting a little frustrated thinking that these cookies would now be a no-go.  I found out that they carry it at craft stores.  I had been in all the baking aisles, but had never paid much attention to them.  I called Hobby Lobby to see if they had it and there were also OUT OF STOCK! I saw a post where someone found it at Jo-Ann Fabrics, so that was to be my next stop.  You pass Michael's on the way to Jo-Ann Fabrics, but since I read that the person found it at Jo-Ann's, I decided to go there.  No Luck! I didn't even see where they carried it! So, here I am 20 minutes before I need to be at work, trying to find meringue powder! I decided to stop quickly at Michael's and of course... they had it! LOTS OF IT! I just usually prefer Hobby Lobby when doing crafts, so I figured this would be the same.  That's what I get of course, but I knew it would make a good story for you guys.  That is the only thing that kept me going! Haha.
• I also googled "Scant".  It means not quite 1/2 a cup.  I used a little more powder sugar on accident, so mine required a little more water..

THE DIRECTIONS

• Beat the ingredients in a mixer bowl on low speed until smooth.  It says it takes about 7 minutes, I don't think it took it quite that long.
• I will say that watching the icing form was very strange.  It went from powder to a clumpy substance to smooth icing very quickly.  At first I was sure I did something wrong, but all of a sudden icing was forming! 

• I wanted my cookies to be pink, but you can use whatever color you like.  You don't even have to make hearts! 
• I used Wilton Gel Food Colors, from Michael's (I used Red-Red). I heard that it takes a lot less of this color than the regular liquid food colors.
• I accidentally deleted the photo of the coloring process, but I will explain.  Dip a toothpick into the coloring and create a "streak" in the icing.  I think it took about 5 toothpicks to get the color that I wanted.  
• I learned a "10 Second Rule" on Royal Icing from a Blog I found online.  Lift up your spatula and let some of the icing drip back into the bowl.  If it takes less than 5 seconds to disappear, you need to add more powdered sugar.  If it takes more than 10 seconds, you need to add water.  Anything between that will be perfect! 

My bag at the end of the night! Looks rough!

• I know that I would have been better off if I actually bought the icing bags that are supposed to go with the icing tip set that I purchased, but I went the cheaper way and used a Ziploc Bag.  Which actually worked great for me.  Just put the tip in the corner of the bag, and snip the bag with scissors until the tip is poking through.  Do not cut too much! 
• Fill the bag with the icing and cover the other icing with a wet towel, so it doesn't dry out.  If it does thicken, you can always add a little more water!
• My icing would dry out a little after every "section" of cookies I would do.  Just add a little water and do the 10 Second Rule. 

• Now, outline all of the cookies first.  I lined a few, colored in and repeated.  

• The icing on the first couple of cookies was a little too thick, so that when I tried to spread the icing around, it would dry to fast and looked clumpy.
• And my tracing got way better on the second batch of cookies.
• Color the cookie in like the middle cookie in the picture.  Use the tip on the icing bag to spread the rest of the color around.  
• Let it dry after you fill in the spots.
• One other tip I learned was to hold the icing tip about half an inch above the cookie.  You can direct the icing a lot better around the cookie.  It "lays" down better.

I wrote Mr. Bloom on a cookie for fun.  I was in no way trying to make it look pretty.
Now I wish I would of tried to make it look decent. Lol.

• Even though I knew they weren't perfect, I was so proud of them.  I thought they turned out really cute.

My prettiest cookie!

• That is it! You are done.  Let them dry and then you are free to eat them! 
• I let mine dry for about 3 hours.  As, I said, I am a night owl and I started these cookies really late.  They got finished at 7am! So, I wasn't trying to be the most precise person! I let them dry for 3 hours because that was how long I slept for! I am not sure at what point they are totally dry, prior to 3 hours..

• I bagged up a few of the cookies and took them to work!  I bought these little bags at Jo-Ann's.  They were pink with little twisty ties.  That really completed the look.  My co-workers definitely enjoyed them.  

     I did a lot of google research to figure out how to work with this icing, but preparing freaked me out more than maybe just making them would have.  Once you get the hang of how to work with the icing, these cookies will become a piece of cake! They were so delicious, I would not change a thing about them.  Best of all? My Valentine loved them.  Did I leave you in suspense? Or did you figure that I would say yes to the most important question on Valentine's Day? Mr. Bloom asks, "Will You Be My Valentine?" And to that I say, "Yes, today and everyday, I will be your Valentine."

With that, Enjoy!

View Martha's Sugar Cookie and Icing Recipe HERE!