An ideal Valentine’s cookies recipe

Card shops are ablaze with red hearts, roses and Love You teddy bears; florists are taking early orders; and restaurants are booking up fast. Yes, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

Why not spread the love and bake some delicious heart shaped Jammie Dodgers to mark the occasion?

These Valentine’s cookies are not just tasty but look good too! They are perfect to share with with your kids, neighbours, friends or work colleagues on the 14th of February. Home-made Jammie Dodgers will make a cute romantic gift for your partner too.

The recipe is simple and ideal to keep the kids busy over half term, all you need is a bit of time, patience, some heart shaped cookie cutters and a few ingredients – listed below.

My nine year old son baked these on his own. Smaller children will love to join in too.

For more easy Valentine’s recipes take a look at our Valentine’s Chocolate Hearts Biscuit Recipe, Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe, or Peppermint Cream Sweets Recipe.

To make 12 to 14 Jammie Dodgers, you will need:

• Two heart shaped cookie cutters (about 6 cm and 3 cm)
• 200g (7oz) of plain flour
• 25g (1 oz) of custard powder
• 50g (2oz) of caster sugar
• 150g (50z) of butter softened and cut into small pieces
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of water
• 5 tablespoons of raspberry jam
• Icing sugar to decorate

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 160C (fan oven 150C) / 350F/ gas mark 3. Grease two baking trays
• Mix the flour, custard powder and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture to make tiny crumbs (you can use an electric mixer if you have one)
• Stir in the egg yolk and mix into a smooth dough – knead the dough with your hands when it becomes too stiff. You might need to add a little water if your dough is crumbly. It needs to have pastry like consistency
• Roll the cookie dough out on a surface sprinkled with flour and stamp out large hearts with your cookie cutter
• Cut out little hearts from the centre of half of the large hearts using the small cookie cutter and transfer the shapes onto baking trays. Squeeze the trimmings together and roll out again. You should have 12 to 14 of each shape
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are pale golden. Loosen them with a knife and leave them to cool on the backing trays
• When completely cold, spread jam over the whole cookies, top with the heart stamped ones and dust with icing sugar

Your home made Jammie Dodgers are ready to eat. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for Valentine’s day gifts, why not check out our Valentine’s balloons, Valentine’s teddy bears and chocolates? For more gift ideas, read our Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts article.

These heart shaped biscuits are quick and easy to make but with some simple decorating they will look great too!  A fun Valentine’s recipe that will make a tasty gift, these biscuits are also perfect to make with children and share with the family. Yum!

For more delicious treats to make and share with loved ones on Valentine’s day and other occasions, why not also try our Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe or Triple Chocolate Brownies Recipe?

This Valentine’s recipe will make 16 to 20 soft chocolatey heart shaped biscuits.

You will need:

 For the biscuits:

• 190g of plain flour
• 100g of cocoa powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder
• 250 g caster sugar
• 200 g butter or margarine softened
• 1 egg

For the icing:

• Ready to roll fondant icing
• 3 tablespoons of apricot jam

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 180C (160C for oven fan) or gas mark 5 and butter two baking trays
• Using a wooden spoon or a food processor, cream the sugar and butter until smooth.  Add the egg and mix well
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder
• Bit by Bit add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture to form a soft dough
• Using your hands, roll a small ball of dough (about one tablespoon) and place on the backing trays.
• Flatten the balls into round biscuit shapes with the back of a spoon (use a wet spoon if the dough is sticky). Make sure your biscuits are not too close as they will expand slightly
• Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. When cooked, place the biscuits on a cooling rack

For the icing:

• When the biscuits are cold, roll out some fondant icing and cut into hearts with a small heart shaped cookie cutter
• Brush your biscuits with warm apricot jam and stick the icing hearts on top

That’s it – your heart shaped cookies are ready to eat!

If you’re looking for Valentine’s day gifts, why not check out our Valentine’s balloons, Valentine’s teddy bears and chocolates? For more gift ideas, read our Top 10 Valentine’s Gifts article.

No British Christmas is complete without a traditional Christmas Cake. It can be made weeks in advance and will keep until you are ready to decorate. Our traditional Christmas cake recipe is easy to make and more importantly tasty!

For a quicker alternative to fruit cake, why not try our Christmas Cupcakes Recipe?

Ingredients:

This traditional Christmas cake recipe will serve 16 and takes about 3 ½ hours including cooking time.

• 225g / 8 oz of butter or margarine softened at room temperature
• 225g / 8 oz of dark muscovado sugar
• 225g / 8 oz of plain flour
• 4 eggs beaten
• 50g / 2 oz of ground almonds
• 100ml / 3 ½ fl oz of Sherry, Brandy or orange juice for an alcohol free version
• 85g / 3 oz of candied peel – chopped
• 85g / 3oz of glacé cherries – chopped
• 250g / 9oz of currants
• 250g / 9oz raisins
• 100g / 14oz of chopped pecan nuts (replace with an additional 100g of fruit) for a nut-free version
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 1 ½ teaspoons of mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Note: If you have time and like your Christmas cake moist, you can soak the dried fruit the night before in brandy or orange juice and make the recipe the next day.

For the icing you will need:

• One pack of marzipan – we used ready rolled
• 3 tablespoons of apricot jam
• Fondant or royal icing – you can mix your own icing sugar or any ready to roll icing

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 160C / Gas 3 / Fan oven 140C. Fully line a deep 20cm round cake tin
• Cream the butter and sugar, stir in one spoon full of flour and the beaten eggs. Progressively add the rest of the flour and the baking powder until well mixed. Stir in the ground almonds
• Mix in the Sherry, Brandy or orange juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well
• Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, smooth to top of the tin and bake in the oven. After 30 minutes, lower the temperature to 150C/ Gas 2/ Fan oven 130C and bake for an extra 2 to 2 ½ hours, until a skewer inserted comes out clean
• Once cold remove the cake from the tin and discard the greaseproof paper. Wrap well in cling film and foil and store in an airtight container

Decorating your cake

• Warm the apricot jam and remove any fruit piece – brush over the top and sides of the cake
• Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake
• Prepare the icing according the the instructions on the package and ice the cake
• Decorate to taste!

Did you know?

Traditionally coins were added to Christmas cakes and puddings. The coin, sometimes wrapped in a small piece of greaseproof paper, was to bring luck to the person who found it while eating the cake.

In Japan Christmas cakes are simple sponge cakes, frosted with white fresh whipped cream and decorated with strawberries and maybe the occasional chocolate. It is traditionally eaten on Christmas eve.

More festive recipes

For more seasonal recipes, why not make our simple marzipan mince pies recipe or tasty chocolate truffles recipe?

Christmas gifts

If you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift for a loved one, why not check out our cheerful Christmas balloons, cuddly Christmas teddy bears and tasty chocolates?

This tasty Christmas cupcakes recipe is packed with fruit and nuts and flavoured with brandy or orange juice. The little fruit cakes are moist and full of flavour. A quick-bake alternative to traditional Christmas cake, they will make tasty gifts. If you have kids, they will enjoy decorating them too!

For more easy to make recipes ideas that will have everyone – including Rudolph the Reindeer asking for more, you could try our simple marzipan mince pies recipe or our best chocolate cupcakes recipe.

The recipe will make approximately 18 muffin tin sized cupcakes. For a more festive look you can use Christmas themed cupcake cases and decorations.

You will need:

For the Christmas cupcakes

• 200g of dark muscovado sugar
• 175g of butter chopped in small pieces
• 700g of ready mixed dried fruits (or mix your own with raisins, currents, mixed peel and other fruit)
• 50g of glacé cherries
• Zest of 1 orange
• 125ml of brandy or orange juice
• 85g/3oz pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 3 large eggs – beaten
• 85g of ground almonds
• 200g of plain flour
• ½ tsp of backing powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp of ginger
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

For the topping

• 400g of marzipan – you can use the ready rolled variety if you like
• 4 tbsp warm apricot jam – heated
• 500g pack fondant icing sugar

Preparation

For the cupcakes

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2, and line two muffin trays with paper cases
2. Put the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger and orange zest into a large saucepan. Pour over the brandy or orange juice, and simmer on the hob for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
3. Stir the nuts, beaten eggs and ground almonds into the fruit. Add the flour, baking powder and spices and sir gently until the batter is thoroughly mixed.
4. Scoop mixture into the deep muffin cases until three quarters full and level the tops with a spoon. Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden and just firm to touch. Remove your Christmas cupcakes from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

For the topping

1. When your cupcakes are cold, roll out the marzipan and stamp one disc for each cake – each round should be about 6cm in diameter. Brush the cake tops with heated apricot jam, top with a marzipan disc and press down gently.
2. Make the fondant icing and spread it on top of each cupcake. Decorate with sugar sprinkles – or whatever takes your fancy and leave to set. Your Christmas cupcakes will keep in a tin or airtight container for 3 weeks.

Please note: If you want to bake in advance, you can freeze your Christmas cupcakes without the icing.

For more simple recipes that will make delicious home-made Christmas gifts ideas, why not try our tasty chocolate truffles recipe or peppermint cream sweets?

Mince pies are one of Christmas‘ favourite treats and what better way to impress friends and family than by baking your own?

Make your mince pies extra special with a touch of rich, melt in the mouth marzipan and light lemon flavoured pastry. The recipe’s simple too so you can even get the kids to help!

The catch? If you have a large family I would recommend you bake two batches as these mince pies are very moreish – just look at Rudolph eyeing them up!

This simple mince pie recipe will take about 45 minutes (including baking time) and makes 12.

Ingredients

• 100g 4oz of plain flour
• 100g/ 4 oz of self raising flour
• 100g of butter softened
• 1tbsp of caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of one lemon or orange
• 85g / 3oz of marzipan cut into 12 small square (just enough to cover the bottom of the mince pies)
• 3/4 jar of mincemeat 300g / 11oz
• Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven at 200C (180C for oven fan) or gas mark 6 and butter a 12 hole bun tin.
2. Using your fingers or a food processor, work in the two types of flour and the butter until you have a crumby mixture. Add the sugar, the zest and 3 to 4 table spoons of water and kneed the dough until it comes together in a ball.
3. Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface. Stamp out 12 x 9cm (3 1/2 inch) circles with a cookie cutter and place them into the buttered tin.
4. Put your marzipan pieces into the bottom of each pastry case and spoon in the mincemeat. Be careful not to over fill them or your mince pies might turn out rather sticky.
5. Roll out the left over pastry, cut out star shapes and lay them on top. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Leave the pies to cool for a few minutes, take them out of the tray and transfer them onto a wire rack until completely cold. They will keep in an airtight container for a few days.

You can also prepare your mince pies ahead and freeze them uncooked. They will bake straight from the freezer in about 25 minutes.

For more home made Christmas treats, why not try our Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe or our Peppermint Cream Sweets Recipe? Alternatively check out our range of delicious chocolates.

We all love the occasional indulgent treat and this recipe ticks all the boxes – the sponge is light, moist and slightly gooey and the frosting is creamy and delicious. They are just the best chocolate cupcakes!

While the recipe is simple, if you’re looking for something you can make with very young children, you might want to check out our basic chocolate buns recipe.

You can bake the cupcakes either in a muffin tin (makes 12 +) or in bun tin (makes 24 +). You will need the following ingredients:

For the sponge

• 80g (3oz)of unsalted butter or margarine softened
• 280g (10oz) of caster sugar
• 200g (7oz) of plain flour
• 40g (1 1/2 oz) of cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 240ml (8 1/2 fl oz) of whole milk
• 2 large eggs

For the chocolate frosting

• 200g (7oz) of icing sugar
• 50g (1 3/4 oz) of cocoa powder
• 80g (3oz) of butter or margarine
• 25ml whole milk

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 190C (375F) or gas mark 5. Line your muffin or bun tray with paper cases
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until the ingredients are mixed in a crumby mixture
• Whisk the egg and milk in a jug. Mix half of the liquid with the dry ingredients. Add the rest of the liquid and mix until all the ingredients have blended together and the batter is smooth
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases so they are 2/3 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes ( 12 to 15 minutes if you are making small cupcakes) or until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch
• Remove the cupcakes from the tin and put them on a wire rack. Allow to cool fully before frosting

To make the chocolate frosting:

• Beat the butter, sugar and cocoa powder together until well combined in a sandy mixture
• Pour in the milk and whisk until the frosting is soft and fluffy.
• Spread the icing on the cupcakes and sprinkle with sugar strands or other decorations

Et Voila! These tasty chocolate cupcakes will look great in any party spread and will make a much appreciated gift too. There’s one problem though – they disappear quickly. By the time I came to take a picture for this post several cupcakes were “missing” already. The kids said it had nothing to do with them…

Variations

You can also use the the chocolate sponge mixture and frosting to make a cake. Simply share the batter equally in two 20cm tins and bake until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch. When they are completely cool, sandwich the cakes together with a layer of frosting and apply frosting to the top of the cake (you might need to double up the quantity of frosting required).

For more recipes, check out our:

• Chocolate Brownies Recipe
• Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
• Tasty Chocolate Truffles Recipe

Parkin or Perkin is a traditional English ginger bread like cake. This soft moist cake is traditionally made of flour, oatmeal, fat, ginger and black treacle and the recipe originates from Yorkshire. It is often eaten on Bonfire Night and will make an ideal seasonal treat served after pumpkin soup.

Parkin is a cake that retains its texture well and can be kept for a week or two in a sealed container. In fact, it is better to store it for a few days before eating it as it will get stickier.

You can enjoy this Parkin recipe on its own as a cake or serve it warm with a dollop of custard. It can also make an interesting alternative to sponge cake in a trifle.

Ingredients

This recipes takes about an hour and fifteen minutes (including baking time). You will need:

• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 225g (8oz) of golden syrup
• 50g (2oz) of black treacle
• 85g (3oz) of light muscovado sugar or soft dark brown sugar
• 225g (8oz) of butter
• 100g (4oz) of oatmeal
• 250g (9oz) of flour
• 2 rounded teaspoons of ginger
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 160c or gas mark 3 and butter and line a 23cm/ 9 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Stir the milk into the beaten eggs and set aside.
• Put the syrup, treacle, sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat gently until melted. Remove from the heat.
• Mix  together the oatmeal, flour, ginger, mixed spice and baking powder. Stir in the syrup mixture followed by the egg and milk. Mix well.
• Pour the cake mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until firm. Leave to cool in the tin. When the cake is cold, turn it out and peel off the paper. For best results, wrap the Parkin in greaseproof paper and foil and leave it for three days. This will allow the cake to become softer and stickier. It will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated on November the 5th mainly in Great Britain. It originated on 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes was arrested while guarding explosives the Gunpowder Plot had placed beneath the House of Lords. The Gunpowder Plot attempted to assassinate the Protestant King of England James I to replace him with a catholic head of state. To celebrate the fact that King James had survived, people lit bonfires around London. Later the Observance of 5th November Act was enforced as an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure.

For a fun Bonfire Night accessory, why not check out our glow in the dark balloons?

For a warming Autumn recipe and perfect Halloween or bonfire supper, why not try our delicious pumpkin soup? We made the recipe using butternut squash rather than pumpkin which has a sweeter taste, however the soup would be just as tasty with pumpkin.

This recipe is easy to adapt to be dairy free, gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.

For an alternative recipe, you can also check our Easy Pumpkin Soup for Halloween.

This recipe will serve 8 to 10.

Ingredients

• 2 table spoons of olive oil
• 1kg of butternut squash or pumpkin – peeled, seeded and chopped in small pieces
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 1 leek – chopped
• 1 courgette chopped
• 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp of dried chilli flakes (optional)
• Bread for croûtons

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently fry the onions, leek and courgette for 5 mins, until soft but not coloured. Add the pumpkin or squash to the pan and carry on cooking for 8 to 10 mins, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften and turn golden.
2. Add the stock and chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to boiling point and simmer for 20 mins or until the squash is very soft. You can now blend the soup.
3. While the soup is cooking, slice the crusts from the bread, then cut the bread into small croûtons. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the bread until it starts to become crisp. These can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. You can also chop lightly buttered toast just before serving. To amuse children (and grown ups too), why not cut out your bread / toast in shapes with a small cookie cutter?
4. Reheat the soup if needed, taste for seasoning, then serve with scattered croûtons. You can add a little grated cheese or a spoonful of cream before serving.

For ideas to help you to make this Halloween one to be remembered check out our Halloween food for a spooky mood post and our A Tricky Problem for a Halloween Party article.

If you want to scare someone on the spookiest night of the year why not send the one of our Halloween balloon gifts? For decorations to create the perfect eerie atmosphere check out our Halloween party balloons.

Healthy flapjacks contain oats which are rich in iron, zinc and vitamin B. They are great for lunchboxes or as a tasty snack any time of the day and will be popular party treats too. Flapjack recipes are also easy to make at home with kids – for more simple recipes to make with kids check out our chocolate buns recipe or easy chocolate cake.

Flapjacks are quick, easy and cheap to make. Make plain flapjacks, add fruit or nuts or a chocolate topping to suit your taste!

Ingredients:

To make 16 flapjacks you will need a 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in) greased cake tin and:

• 250g – 9oz of butter or margarine
• 250g – 9oz of demerara sugar
• 200g – 7oz of honey or golden syrup
• 450g – 16 oz of oats

• 2 tsp of ground ginger (optional)
• 50g 2oz of nuts, sultanas or dried fruit, chopped or desiccated coconut (optional)

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 190c or 375F gas mark 5
• Put the butter, sugar and honey or syrup in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved
• Add the oats and nuts, fruit, ginger or coconut, if using, and mix well
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin. Using the back of a metal spoon press the oats evenly over the base of the tin an smooth over
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 min or until lightly golden around the edges, but still slightly soft in the middle
• Cool for 15 minutes in the tin and score into 16 squares or wedges
• When completely cold, turn out and separate the flapjacks

Chocolate flapjacks

If you want to make chocolate flapjacks make plain mixture and bake as indicated. When the mixture is cold, melt 200g of plain or milk chocolate, stir in 1 tsp of sunflower oil and pour over the flapjack base. Let the chocolate set, then cut into squares.

Love chocolate?

Why not make our triple chocolate brownies – not as healthy but tasty and well worth the effort. For an indulgent treat you can also visit our online shop and check out our range of chocolates.

This delicious triple chocolate brownies recipe will make brownies that are soft in the middle, firm outside with nuggets of chocolate everywhere. Sadly every batch we bake disappears in no time at all as kids from the neighbourhood queue outside our door to get their hands on them. It’s a recipe that’s well worth the effort and sure to make you very popular!

For lighter brownies that are easier to make with kids too, please check out our chocolate brownies recipe.

This recipe will make 16 squares or 32 triangles of brownies and you will need:

• 185g of butter
• 185g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids minimum)
• 85g of plain flour
• 40g of cocoa powder
• 50g of white chocolate
• 50g of milk chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 250g of golden caster sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven at 180C, gas 4 or 160C for a fan oven and line a 20cm square tin, with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Cut the butter and the dark chocolate into small pieces and melt in the microwave for approximately two minutes. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
3. Mix the flour and cocoa powder.
4. Break the white and milk chocolate into small chunks.
5. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until you have a thick, pale creamy mixture. You can use an electric mixer as it might take a few minutes to obtain the right consistency.
6. Pour the cooled chocolate over the egg mixture and gently fold together so the batter stays light and fluffy.
7. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder until everything is well mixed. Finally, add and stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks.
8. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and gently level the batter in the tin. Put in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until firm but moist in the centre.
9. Take out of the oven and leave until completely cold. Remove from the tin and cut into 16 squares and if you like smaller portions, cut the squares into 32 triangles.

Love chocolate?

Why not check out our Chocolate Buns Recipe, or Chocolate Truffles Recipe? You can also visit our online shop to check out our range of chocolates – including Belgian chocolates and Guylian Seashells Chocolates.