bakin' and eggs

I wanted to take Valentine’s treats to work last Friday. I decided to make two types of cookies – one tried and true standby and something new and Valentine’s themed. For my tried and true I went with The Chewy – who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies? I decided to go with the Sweetheart Jamwich for my Valentine’s-themed cookie. The combination of pie crust, sweetened cream cheese, jam and white chocolate sounded great.

These cookies were fun to make and a big hit in the treat bags! They are easily adaptable for other holidays and occasions by using a different shape cookie cutter.

Sweetheart Jamwiches
(Recipe source Southern Living)

Ingredients:

1  (15-oz) package refrigerated piecrusts (or homemade)
1  egg white, lightly beaten
2  tbsp  granulated sugar
1  (3-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4  cup  powdered sugar
2  tbsp  butter, softened
1/2  tsp  almond extract
1/2  (10-oz) jar seedless raspberry preserves or strawberry jam
1/2  cup  white chocolate morsels
1  tablespoon  butter
Red sparkling sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface and roll to press out fold lines. Cut with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll remaining dough, and repeat procedure. (There should be a total of 46 pastry hearts.) Place pastry hearts on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Brush 1 side of each pastry heart with egg white, and sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove hearts to wire racks, and let cool.

Stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and almond extract until blended.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on unsugared sides of half the hearts; spread about 1/2 teaspoon preserves over mixture. Top with remaining hearts, unsugared sides down.

Microwave white chocolate morsels and 1 tablespoon butter in a glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted. Stir until smooth. Place mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and drizzle over tarts. Sprinkle with red sparkling sugar, if desired.

Yield: 23 cookies