Cupids Pillows Recipes

ANGEL PILLOWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup shortening, cream cheese and milk until well blended. Stir in the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of apricot preserves. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir into the batter. Mix in the pecans last. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, remaining apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon shortening; mix well. Frost cooled cookies and sprinkle with coconut if desired.

CUPID'S CUPS

Steps:

• Draw heart design or write Valentine's Day message in each of 8 (6-oz.) clear plastic cups by piping chocolate onto insides of cups. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
• Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 pkg. gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water; pour into prepared cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until gelatin is firm.
• Add remaining boiling water to remaining gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to remaining cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until thickened. Stir in COOL WHIP; spoon over gelatin layer in cups. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Decorate as desired.

CUPID'S COUPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the phyllo sheet with butter and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cut the sheet in half crosswise and then lengthwise to make 4 rectangles. Make a fan by taking the short side of 1 of the rectangles and gathering it together like pleats on a skirt, pinching the pleats together to make them stick. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rectangles. Bake until light brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Place a scant pint of the strawberries in a blender and puree, stopping as necessary to scrape sides of jar. Pass the puree through a fine sieve so you are left with only a thick liquid. Set aside. Whip cream to soft peaks. Add the sugar and the lime zest. Whip to stiff peaks. Coarsely chop enough of the remaining strawberries to make 1/2 cup. Stir them into the cream mixture. Stir in the strawberry puree.
• Thinly slice the remaining strawberries. Either use a small heart-shaped cutter to cut hearts out of the strawberry slices or trim them into heart shapes with a small knife. Press several of the strawberry hearts in a decorative, asymmetrical pattern against the inside of each of 4 wineglasses. Spoon in the mousse. Top with a layer of strawberry hearts. Place the narrow end of each fan into the mousse. Serve immediately.

PILLOWCASE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until combined. Grate in cold butter; stir mixture together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in beaten egg and yolk, milk, and vanilla until mixture begins to come together.
• Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until dough comes together, 3 to 5 kneads. Shape into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C); position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough on a heavily floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 inch. Cut cookies with a 2 1/2-inch circle cutter, rerolling scraps as needed.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Freeze, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the pan, for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining tray.

CUPID'S PILLOWS

Steps:

• Roll a single puff pastry sheet into about a 16" square.
• Brush pastry lightly with egg white.
• Cut pastry sheet into sixteen 4"x4" squares.
• Place about 1 teaspoon chocolate and one raspberry in center of each square. (I put a piece of chocolate inside the raspberry too).
• Fold to form a triangle and press firmly on both edges with a fork or pastry crimper to seal.
• Prick the center of the pastry with a fork.
• Repeat until all are completed; put filled pastries onto large un-greased sheets. Freeze 30 minimum minutes.
• Pastries can be fully frozen individually at this point and sealed in a heavy-duty bag for later use.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake 17 minute or until puffed and golden.
• Toss in confectioners sugar and let cool or the inside will burn your mouth! They taste better when cooled to just above room temperature.