Category: Holiday Party

I love making food for my family, so we did some homemade baking for Valentine’s Day this year. The girls loved helping and the boys loved eating!

Cream Puffs

Puff Pastries Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup frozen butter
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 teas salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Puff Pastries Directions:

1. I used my food processor with the metal blade and the shredding disk.
2. Place the flour and salt into the food processor.
3. Slowly add the frozen butter through the shredder as the food processor is pulsing.
4. Add the cold water and pulse until a ball of dough forms.
5. Place dough on a clean and floured surface. Roll out dough until it is about 12×18 inches.
6. Add more flour to the dough and fold it into thirds. Add more flour and fold that in half. Place in a zip lock bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cream Puff Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line to baking sheets with wax paper. Spray lightly with baking spray.
2. Wrap forks with aluminum foil to resemble a cone and spray them too.
3. Unfold the puff pastry and cut it with a pizza cutter into long 1 inch strips.
4. Start at the small end of the fork mold and wrap the strip of puff pastry around it overlapping each layer by 1/4 inch. Place on the baking sheet.
5. Prepare an egg wash with egg and water. Brush each horn with the egg wash.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes turning half way though.
7. Allow them to cool for a few minutes and then remove the aluminum foil fork to finish cooling.
8. Fill with the following Whipped Cream Recipe and dust with powered sugar.

Whipped Cream Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Whipped Cream Instructions:

1. Add the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. With the mixer on medium speed, whip the cream until it begins to thicken.
3. Continue whipping for several minutes until the cream is fluffy (medium peaks) but not too firm.
4. Use immediately or cover tightly and chill for up to 36 hours.

Heart Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 2 teas sugar
• 1 teas dry active yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (105 degrees)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teas salt
• 2 TBS olive oil
• Pizza Sauce
• Pepperoni
• Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1. Mix sugar and warm water. Then sprinkle with yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the flour, salt, and olive oil and mix with dough hook in electric mixer.
3. Once it is well mixed knead for 5 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 2 pieces and place into an oiled pan. Cover and let it rise for and hour.
5. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and roll out dough. I cut mine into heart shapes.
6. Spread the pizza sauce and cheese then bake for 12-15 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

Shortcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg

Strawberry Ingredients:

• 2 cups strawberries hulled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Start by preparing the strawberries. Add sliced strawberries to a bowl and sprinkle them with sugar. Stir to combine. Let them hang out on your counter for about 2 hours and they will create a delicious juice. I recommend stirring them every half hour or so.
2. Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Spray the heart shaped cupcake mold generously with baking spray. Then, add some all-purpose flour to the molds, shake it around, and discard the excess.
4. The next step is to whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Then add the vanilla, softened butter, milk, and egg. With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for about two minutes.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared heart shaped cupcake mold . Each mold should be about three-quarters full. In case there are any drips, set the pan on a baking sheet while spooning the batter into the molds. Then place the shortcake pan in the preheated oven.
6. Bake the little cakes for 18-20 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pan before attempting to remove them. Gently loosen each cake with your fingers: then invert the pan to release the cakes.
7. While the shortcakes cool, prepare the whipped cream (I used the left over whipped cream from the cream puffs).
8. Spoon a generous amount of the strawberries and juice on each shortcake. Top with a dollop of Homemade Whipped Cream. Garnish with a sliced strawberry and sprig of fresh mint, if desired.

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