B A K I N G Sweet, heart shape cream puff s.

B A K I N G sweet hearts

If baking is one of your favorite ways to show you care, share these cute little cream puffs with the people in your love bubble this Valentine’s Day. The shaping technique is simple—no fancy piping to master. And the flavors can be mixed and matched as you please. Make the pastry plain or cocoa and choose from two filling options: a rich makeahead chocolate pastry cream or our two-ingredient berry jam whipped cream. Your sweethearts will thank you.

To create a two- tone sprinkle, dust the tops with powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberries pulsed in a food processor.

COCOA CREAM PUFFS

To make plain cream puff s, reduce fl our to 1 cup and omit the cocoa and sugar. TOTAL TIME 1 hr.

1¹∕4 cups all-purpose fl our 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1 cup water ¹∕2 cup butter ¹∕4 tsp. salt 4 eggs Powdered sugar and/or freeze-dried strawberries, blended into a powder (optional)

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stir together fl our, cocoa powder, and granulated sugar. In a saucepan bring water, butter, and salt to boiling; stir until butter melts. Add fl our mixture all at once to saucepan, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Cool 10 minutes. 2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. 3. For heart-shape puff s, follow tips, below. For regular puff s, drop 12 heaping Tbsp. of dough onto prepared cookie sheet. 4. Bake in a 400°F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until puff ed and set. Remove; cool on wire racks. 5. Up to 2 hours before serving, cut cream puff s in half. Remove soft dough from inside. Spoon Chocolate

Pastry Cream or Strawberry

Whipped Cream (recipes, right) into puff s. Replace tops. Chill until serving time. If you like, dust with powdered sugar and/or strawberries. Makes 8 hearts or 12 regular puff s. PER UNFILLED CREAM PUFF 225 cal, 14 g fat (8 g sat fat), 124 mg chol, 201 mg sodium, 19 g carb, 1 g fi ber, 3 g sugars, 6 g pro

CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM

HANDS ON 30 min. TOTAL TIME 3 hr. (includes chilling) 1. In a heavy saucepan combine ¹∕2 cup sugar, ¹∕4 cup all-purpose fl our, and ¹∕4 tsp. salt. Gradually stir in 1¹∕2 cups half-and-half and 4 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate. Cook and stir over medium until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into 4 beaten egg yolks. Return yolk mixture to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Spoon into a bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap; let cool slightly. Chill 2 hours until cold (don’t stir). 2. In a chilled small bowl beat ¹∕2 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gradually fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate cream; chill 30 minutes. Makes about 4 cups. PER ¹∕3 CUP 185 cal, 12 g fat (7 g sat fat), 83 mg chol, 72 mg sodium, 17 g carb, 1 g fi ber, 13 g sugars, 3 g pro

STRAWBERRY WHIPPED CREAM

START TO FINISH 5 min.

In a large chilled bowl beat 1¹∕2 cups heavy cream and ³∕4 cup strawberry jam on low until combined; beat on high until stiff peaks form. Use within 2 hours. Makes about 3 cups. PER ¹∕3 CUP 236 cal, 16 g fat (10 g sat fat), 51 mg chol, 22 mg sodium, 22 g carb, 16 g sugars, 1 g pro

BA K E W I T H U S Scan this code with your smartphone to watch how to make these pretty cream puffs.

keys to our hearts

It takes just a cookie scoop (or spoon) to shape the puffs.

ST E P O N E

To make a sturdy bottom for the puff , spoon a teaspoon of dough onto the parchment.

ST E P T WO

Using a cookie scoop (#30 or 1³∕4-inch) or spoon, place three scoops of dough in a triangle on top.

ST E P T H R E E

Add another teaspoon of dough in the center to help make an even surface.

ST E P FO U R

Dip the back of a spoon in water or wet your fi ngers to smooth the dough into a heart. ■

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