Lollipop Cookie Valentines Food

VALENTINE COOKIE POPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart. Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.
• Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies. Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.

LOLLIPOP COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half; stir chocolate into one half. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, extract, salt and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost bottoms of chocolate cookies. Place a wooden stick on each cookie, leaving 3 in. for handle. Top each with a plain cookie. Frost tops; add candies and sprinkles.

LOLLIPOP COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a sheet pan. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the sugar, butter and shortening until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and baking powder and mix. Add the flour and mix. Shape the dough into a large flat disk, kneading briefly if necessary to bring the dough together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick. Using cookie cutters or empty tuna cans, cut out large round cookies about 3 inches in diameter. Transfer to the prepared pan. Cut a heart or circle out of the center of each cookie that will be filled later with lollipop syrup. Carefully slip the sucker sticks under the cookies and gently press dough down and around it to secure the stick. Bake until very light golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheet pan.
• Lollipop Centers: Combine sugar, glucose and water in a clean, dry, small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and cook on high heat. While cooking the candy syrup, occasionally wash down the pan sides to prevent crystallization using a clean brush dipped in water. Without stirring, cook until mixture reaches 305 degrees F or hard crack on the candy thermometer. Remove the pot from the heat and dip it into an ice bath for 10 seconds to stop the cooking. Remove the pot from the ice bath and add food coloring, stirring well a wooden spoon so the color is evenly distributed. To avoid air bubbles, stir in both directions and be careful not to over mix. Pour the syrup into hole of the cookies. Cool at least 20 minutes to harden. Store in an airtight container.

VALENTINE'S DAY HEART SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. If the dough seems too soft, you can add 1 Tablespoon more flour so it's a better consistency for rolling.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat (I prefer the nonstick silicone mat) to about 1/4″ thickness. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly ¼-inch thick.
• Stack the pieces, with parchment paper between the two, onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days. If chilling for more than a couple hours, cover the top dough piece with a single piece of parchment paper.
• Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Remove one of the dough pieces from the refrigerator and using a heart cookie cutter, cut into heart shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd dough piece.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Make sure you rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat all of the icing ingredients together on high speed for 5 minutes. When lifting the whisk up off the icing, the icing should drizzle down and smooth out within 10-12 seconds. If it's too thick, add a little more water. (On particularly dry days, I use up to 12-14 Tablespoons water total.) If it's too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners' sugar. Separate icing into 6 different bowls. Stir in 1 tiny drop of the following colors into each bowl, 1 color per bowl: pink, violet, green, yellow, and orange. The 6th bowl is for the writing. Use 2-3 drops of red.
• Add icing to piping bag fitted with round icing tip #5. Decorate cookies with colored icing. Use round icing tip #1 for writing. Do not cover cookies as icing sets. Icing will set within 2-3 hours.
• Decorated or plain cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

CHOCOLATE LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• The mold shapes used were bats, witches, gravestones, ghosts and skulls. You can use any molds to make chocolate lollipops.
• To make the lollipop: Pour any of the tempered chocolates directly into the molds, filling them to the top. Tap the molds against the work surface to release the air bubbles. Set the sticks in place by inserting them just far enough to be secure within the mold you are using. Set the molds aside to allow the chocolate to set. When set, simply pop out the lollipops.
• If you do not have any lollipop molds, you can use Play-Doh modeling clay to make your own molds. Roll fresh Play-Doh into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle on top of a sheet of parchment paper. Use a sharp paring knife to cut shapes from the Play-Doh. Remove the cutout leaving the homemade mold. Spray the inside edge of the Play-Doh with vegetable cooking spray. Pour the chocolate into the cutout space. Insert the lollipop sticks and let cool completely before removing the Play-Doh. When finished, the Play-Doh can be saved and reused for another day.

VALENTINE'S LOLLIPOP HEARTS

Steps:

• Place unwrapped hard candies in a heavy plastic bag, then place bag on top of folded towel and crush candies into small chunks with meat mallet or small hammer.
• Make only three or four lollipops at one time.
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Place desired cookie cutters on foil, at least 2 inches apart.
• Divide crushed candies evenly among cutters, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons per lollipop.
• Candy layer should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Add small decorative candies or edible rose or other flower petals to crushed candies. (If using flower petals, make sure they are covered with a layer of the crushed candy.)
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until candies are completely melted.
• Cool 30 seconds.
• Remove cookie cutters with tongs, allowing melted candy to spread slightly.
• Quickly attach a stick to base of each lollipop, twisting the stick to cover lollipop end with melted candy.
• If desired, press more small candies or flower petals into hot lollipops. Cool.
• Peel foil from lollipops. .

LOLLIPOP COOKIE VALENTINES

Steps:

• Soak craft sticks for one hour in a bowl of cold water.
• In small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; let cool.
• In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Beat egg in well; beat in cooled chocolate. With mixer at low speed, beat in flour, cocoa powder and salt until smooth. Divide dough in half.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease 2 large cookie sheets.
• Roll each half out to 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper; freeze, in wax paper, 5 minutes. Peal top sheets of wax paper off dough; cut dough out using 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Reroll scraps; freeze again 5 minutes; cut out. Place half of the hearts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
• Drain sticks, pat dry. Place one stick on each heart to make 2 1/2 inch handle, pressing lightly into dough. Place remaining hearts on top; press edges gently to seal. Bake about 12 minutes until firm to touch. Cool on wire racks.
• In 2-quart heavy saucepan over very low heat, or in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white or milk chocolate until melted and smooth; if using both chocolates, melt in separate 1-quart pans. Remove from heat.
• Holding each lollipop by handle, dip into chocolate to coat on both sides; let excess chocolate drip back into pan. Place each lollipop as it is coated on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate is set.
• To Make Icing: In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg white and confectioners' sugar until very smooth. If desired, remove small portion of icing to separate bowl; tint with drops of food coloring. Spoon icing into decorating bag fitted with small writing tip; pipe over lollipops in desired patterns. Decorate with assorted candies and decors; attaching with dots of icing.

LOLLIPOP COOKIE VALENTINES

Steps:

• Soak craft sticks for one hour in a bowl of cold water.
• In small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; let cool.
• In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Beat egg in well; beat in cooled chocolate. With mixer at low speed, beat in flour, cocoa powder and salt until smooth. Divide dough in half.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease 2 large cookie sheets.
• Roll each half out to 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper; freeze, in wax paper, 5 minutes. Peal top sheets of wax paper off dough; cut dough out using 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Reroll scraps; freeze again 5 minutes; cut out. Place half of the hearts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
• Drain sticks, pat dry. Place one stick on each heart to make 2 1/2 inch handle, pressing lightly into dough. Place remaining hearts on top; press edges gently to seal. Bake about 12 minutes until firm to touch. Cool on wire racks.
• In 2-quart heavy saucepan over very low heat, or in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white or milk chocolate until melted and smooth; if using both chocolates, melt in separate 1-quart pans. Remove from heat.
• Holding each lollipop by handle, dip into chocolate to coat on both sides; let excess chocolate drip back into pan. Place each lollipop as it is coated on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate is set.
• To Make Icing: In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg white and confectioners' sugar until very smooth. If desired, remove small portion of icing to separate bowl; tint with drops of food coloring. Spoon icing into decorating bag fitted with small writing tip; pipe over lollipops in desired patterns. Decorate with assorted candies and decors; attaching with dots of icing.