HVDTY

Lemon Shortbread Hearts with Raspberry Preserves
(adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook, page 261)

INGREDIENTS
3 sticks butter, softened (that's right, three sticks, baby)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 cups unbleached AP flour (all-purpose) sifted
(I used 1-1/2 c fine whole wheat and 1-1/2 c unbleached AP)
1/2 tsp salt (less if using salted butter)
2 T lemon juice
1/4 c granulated sugar (optional)
3 T grated lemon zest

TOOLS
Mixer with paddle is great, but can be done by hand
Cookie or biscuit cutters, one small heart-shaped cutter
Cookie sheet

METHOD
Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light.
Sift flour and salt together and add to creamed mixture.
Add lemon juice and zest and mix thoroughly.
Gather dough into a ball, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap, chill overnight or at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll out dough to 5/8" thickness and cut circles or scalloped circles with a large round cutter. Use a small heart cutter to cut out a heart in the center of one circle per pair. Arrange the circles, heart-circles and hearts on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until just starting to color lightly. (My directions say cookies should not brown at all, but I think I undercooked all of mine, so blond is fine.) Cool on a rack.
To assemble (this is from the Linzer Hearts recipe on the preceding page of TSPC if you are reading along): Spread 1/2-1 tsp raspberry preserves thinly on round cookie, top with cut out heart circle cookie. Save the little hearts and pile them on a plate for munch monsters and other cookie thieves to dissuade them from sampling the sandwich cookies until you've had time to assemble and admire them all as a group.

In retrospect, I should have just made the Linzer Hearts cookies, as they have walnuts in them, which are good for you, and an egg. Same amount of butter, though. These are delicious and tangy (and pretty) but because of the undercooking, are rather soft. I would have liked more contrast between the jam and the cookie. Maybe should have stuck with the standard shortbread recipe. Oh well, Mike liked them, and they were his valentine.

Cards from Bella Muse and You Send Me.