insideKENT Magazine Issue 59 - February 2017 | Page 76

VALENTINE ’ S
CUPID ’ S Edible Creations cont .
Sweetheart Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
• A little Trex , for greasing
• 1 medium egg
• 2-3 drops vanilla extract
• 75g caster sugar
• 100g Trex , at room temperature
• 200g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 50g polenta or semolina
To Decorate
• 250g icing sugar
• Pink food colouring
METHOD
1 . Position the oven shelves towards the top of the oven . Preheat the oven to 200 ° C / fan oven 180 ° C / Gas Mark 6 . Lightly grease two baking trays with a little Trex .
2 . Beat the egg , vanilla extract and sugar together using a wooden spoon .
3 . Put the Trex into a mixing bowl with 150g ( 6oz ) flour and the salt . Beat together with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy . Gradually beat in the egg and sugar mixture . Add the remaining flour and polenta or semolina and mix together to make a smooth dough .
4 . Turn out onto a lightly floured worktop and roll out with a floured rolling pin until 5mm ( 1 / 4 in ) thick . Use 2 or 3 different-sized heart-shaped cutters to stamp into biscuits . Transfer to the prepared baking trays .
5 . Bake for 16-18 minutes until light golden brown . Cool for a few minutes on the trays , then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely .
6 . Mix 75g ( 3oz ) icing sugar with a little water to make a stiff icing . Pipe carefully around the edge of the biscuits using a small icing bag fitted with a fine plain icing tube . Leave to set . Mix the remaining icing sugar with a little water and 1-2 drops of pink colouring to give a pale pink icing . Spread over the biscuits one at a time , so that it reaches the piped edges . Leave until set .
Plum Beautiful Cheesecake Tarts
INGREDIENTS
• 6 individual bought pastry cases
• 6 South African Flavorking plums , pitted and thinly sliced
• 100g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 / 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 passion fruit
• 20g light muscovado sugar
• Fresh mint , to decorate
METHOD
1 . Preheat the oven to 180 ° C , fan 160 ° C , Gas Mark 4 . 2 . Put the pastry cases onto a baking sheet . Share half the sliced plums between the cases .
3 . Beat together the cream cheese , Greek yogurt , vanilla extract , lemon zest , caster sugar and egg yolk . Spoon into the pastry cases . Bake for 15 minutes , or until set .
4 . While the cheesecake tarts are baking , put the remaining plums into a saucepan and scoop in the flesh from the passion fruit . Add the muscovado sugar and 3 tablespoons of water . Simmer gently for 3- 4 minutes , then remove from the heat .
5 . Serve the tarts while barely warm , with the plum and passion fruit mixture spooned on top , decorated with mint leaves .
Cook ’ s tip : If you like , use one large pastry case instead of individual ones – though you may have to bake this for a few minutes longer to set the cheesecake filling .
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