Like many of you, I’m completely hooked on Pinterest. There’s so much inspiration there, but it’s easy to feel like it’s a huge time suck. I’ve decided I need to take action and actually put some of those ideas to work, or else, what’s the point? Hopefully, Pinterest Paradise can be a semi-regular feature around here — we’ll see if I can stay motivated.
A week or so ago, my friend Gail posted a link to a recipe for Custard Creams. The pictures on the recipe post looked so delicious that I decided to try them. I’m pretty much a sucker for anything that has frosting on it.
Due to our proximity to Valentine’s Day, I decided to make my little custard creams in the shape of hearts and tint my frosting pink. The original recipe said to use a cookie cutter that was 3 cm in diameter and I just happened to have a little heart cookie cutter that was just the right size.
The original recipe is from a site in England, so all the measurements are weighed. For those of you in the US that might not have a kitchen scale, I’ve done some conversions to this recipe. These cookies are D-e-e-e-licious and I hope you’ll try them. They’re nice and small too, so you won’t feel guilty when you have more than one. And I’m betting you WILL have more than one!
Valentine Custard Creams
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. + 2 Tbsp custard powder*
1/4 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Place the flour, custard powder, and powdered sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture begins to come together. (If the butter is very cold you may need to knead it together by hand). Tip the mixture out onto a work surface and bring together into a flattened ball. Wrap with saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place the dough on a floured work surface and roll to about an 1/8″ thickness. Cut out small hearts, approximately 1 1/4″ in diameter and dock with a fork. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm. While chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until just starting to color around the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
For the filling:
Scant 1/4 c. (3 1/2 T) butter, room temperature
1 2/3 c. powdered sugar
2 T custard powder*
Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Then, slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and custard powder and beat on high until smooth and fluffy. Add a few drops of pink food coloring and mix thoroughly. Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip and pipe onto half of the cookies.
*You should be able to find custard powder in the international foods section of your grocery store. If you’re in the midwest, Meijer carries it.
After your cookies are all set, you can have some fun with packaging. My little cookies fit perfectly into plastic pretzel bags.
Don’t forget to leave them in a place where someone you love is sure to find them!
XOXO,
Anna
Oh my gosh those look yummy. I feel my spare tire getting more inflated….
These sound a lot like meltaways except with a cookie cutter. They look so delicate and sweet. I wish someone would leave me a bag of these to find.
Oh yummmmmmmy…I am making these for sure. I am so hooked on Pinterest. In fact we had a wonderful crockpot dinner tonight thanks to Pinterest!!!
How did we entertain ourselves before Pinterest and such! It seems so long ago we didn’t have the Internet, like living in the Dark Ages. Those cookies look heavenly. I have a kitchen scale but I don’t use it very much.
How cute! I too love Pinterest – found a couple of great recipes there! It always makes me smile when I think of the British using weighing scales and the American’s using measuring cups…..there are so many subtle differences!
They are adorable… might just have to give those a try!
I too love Pinterest and spend an extraordinary time on it (I actually blame you, as you put me up to it ;)!!!
Your little heart cookies look adorable in their little bags and I’m sure they will delight!
these are perfect and I love the way you’ve packaged them! I have been trying to ignore the charms of pinterest because I know it’s another place I will loose days in but it is getting harder and harder to resist!
Thank you for the recipe conversion. I would like to try these. I’m going to have to search for the custard powder – I’ve never heard of that.
They look delicious Anna! Beautifully presented too:) I spent too much time over at Pinterest too.
These are adorable cookies…if cookies can even be adorable. I LOVE Pinterest!
oh cute! aubry and i are planning a valentine’s day party and i will be showing her these as an idea for a treat to make. i am sure she will love these!
also, i pinned this! i love pinterest too! :)
mmmmm – they look delicious – but as I am in my usual trying to fit into my swimsuit before the holiday in May panic, I shan’t make them!!
I have managed to resist pinterest – actually you are the only one that I’ve looked at, and that was only because you said had a sheepie category!!
these are the sweetest little treats I’ve ever seen!
I’m trying soooo hard not to go to pinterest, but everyone is doing it – what is a girl to do?
Ummm… yes, please. I would like some of those. Been gluten-free for 8 weeks. Dying a little on the inside, but my blood work is looking better. TMI. I will stop now. Seriously, those cookies are cute and yummy looking. Mouth is watering.
And, Pinterest…love it…oldest daughter wants to get her college degree in pinning. Hmmmm.
Gotta love Pinterest! Best way to find things. I haven’t bookmarked anything the “traditional” way in weeks! I will be pinning these!
OMGGG do you do everything just perfect?? Why yes you do. Those are some cute little cookies. I’ve been looking for my bag O cookies that you left but can’t seem to find them.
Those look so yummy! I’ll look you up on Pinterest too!!!!
Oh they look delicious! and absolutely perfect for valentine’s!
They look like Nigella’s recipe – a great favourite here, though I never thought of pink icing before – brilliant!
We don’t have custard powder in the USA either! (well, I don’t) These looks so yummy! And tiny!
Hello! Pinterest – dianedundee is the username….just started a board called For my Home – wish I had more money ;-)
And if you come to Scotland of course you can pick my brains for advice and perhaps I can even show you some of my favourite places!
wow – super cute and just might be the thing for bake sale for my eldest this friday….thanks! As to Pinterest, I dunno, I signed up and all, but I sorta try to avoid it, and time does tend to vanish…..
oh my gosh. those look so good. thanks for the recipe. i want to try them!
You’re such an over-achiever Anna! I’m more of a monster cookie person myself, or maybe that should be cookie monster? Dainty looking tidbits though!
Yuuuuummmmy!
Oh YUM!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh. My. Goodness!!! Those look seriously delicious. Not even going there. Nope. Not. Well, maybe. LOL
Oh! These look fantastic. I think custard creams may be the nation’s favourite biscuit. I’ve never heard of making your own. Right. The little ones and I will be making these. Thankyou!
these look wonderful….I’m going to try them for valentines day! thanks for the conversions.
Screw the cookies!!! Where in the H did you find those adorable valentine ornaments???!! Come on, fess up! I NEED those! ;p
Looks yummy! I might give them a try!
Pinterest is DANGEROUS! Just found out about it a short while myself. Then I had to go and look at your page. Shoot! I’ll never catch up with all the cool stuff I found on your pages!
These have just leap-frogged to the top of my must-bake list. They look delicious!
How hilarious that custard powder is an exotic product in America! But I’m glad that British delicacies are finding a place in your heart. Well, stomach.
Your house is amazing. It would costs millions – literally – in Edinburgh. I think I’ll emigrate to the Mid West.
And your DIL is also amazing – a saint, or perhaps very keen to get into your good books… No, actually you’re so lovely that she probably just wants to make you happy.
super cute…
Darling long bags – they look yummy. I was thinking about making heart cookies today, we’ve already made one batch, but I’m thinking no :(. I’ll eat too many :).
mmmmmm might have to try these x
Oh Anna these are so cute! I’m so glad you made them. I made really big versions a while back (which was a Nigella recipe) but I just love love love Edd’s stuff – he is such a talent and a sweetie to boot :-)
So, any left for me? Will have to give it a try. Read, will send the link to dd who I will ask to bake! ;o) Thanks for sharing! Oh… and I do own a kitchen scale and not a bathroom one! ;o)