It’s that time of the year again, where love is in the air! Whether you are in a relationship or single, everyone deserves to feel special and loved. Valentine doesn’t have to be expensive – why not try making your own treats; breakfast, cookies, muffins…here are a few you can try…
Heart-shaped Almond French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 slices of thick bread
- 244ml milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 5tbsp sifted icing sugar
- Fresh strawberries
- 230g butter, softened
- 1 tsp. almond extract
Method
- Cut a heart-shape from each slice of bread using a heart-shape cutter. Save the bread trimmings for later.
- Combine the milk, eggs and almond extract in a shallow dish and stir well. Dip 3 bread slices into the egg mixture, coating both sides.
- Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a large griddle. Place the 3 slices of bread onto the griddle and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Repeat for the remaining slices of bread and place on a serving plate. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
- For almond butter: Mix the butter, 3 tbsp. icing sugar and almond extract together. Chill until firm. Place a spoonful of mixture onto each toast and garnish with strawberries, or use any other fruits you fancy.
Heart-shaped Cherry Shortbread Biscuits
Ingredients
- 100g icing sugar
- 200g plain flour
- 50g cornflour
- 50g ground almonds
- 250g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 50g glace cherries, finely chopped
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 8 tbsp. cherry jam
Method
- Preheat oven at 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Sift the icing sugar, flour and cornflour together in a bowl. Stir in the ground almonds and butter, rub the butter in until smooth. Stir in the chopped glace cherries and almond extract, and bring together to form a dough.
- Roll out on a slightly floured surface. Stamp out the biscuits with a heart-shape cutter. Keep re-rolling the dough until it is all used up. Carefully transfer the biscuits to the baking tray that is lined with baking paper and bake for 8-10 minutes, just pale golden.
- Use an unturned bottle and press gently into the centre of each biscuit to make a round indent. Spoon a little jam into the indent and return to the oven for a further 2 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
