Valentines Lollipop Hearts Recipes

MERINGUE LOLLIPOP HEARTS

Steps:

• Trace six 3-inch heart shapes in two rows on a 12-by-18-inch sheet of parchment. Repeat with a second sheet of parchment. Line 2 baking sheets with the parchment, pencil-side down, and set aside.
• Combine the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (make sure the bowl is very clean). Place an inch or two of water in the bottom of a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the bottom of the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture becomes whiter, the sugar has dissolved and the mixture registers about 140 degrees F. This will take 3 to 4 minutes.
• Place the bowl in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vinegar and
• salt. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks with tips that stand straight up. The meringue will gather in a mass around the whisk attachment when it is ready.
• Transfer a third of the meringue to a small bowl to tint pink and a third to a separate small bowl to tint red. (Keep the remaining third white.) Add a small amount of gel food color to each bowl and whisk to incorporate. Transfer the meringue to piping bags with large tips; star tips and round tips work well.
• Place 2 racks towards the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of meringue into the center of each heart and spread a bit with a small spoon. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the meringue if using. Place a paper straw or lollipop stick into the center of each meringue. Use the meringue in the pastry bags to pipe stars, swirls and rosettes to fill in the heart shapes. Aim to make the meringue hearts about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Top with sprinkles, sugar pearls or more chocolate chips if desired.
• Once piped, tap each baking sheet on the counter a couple of times. Place the pans on racks in the center of the oven and bake until the meringue is dried, about 2 hours (2 1/2 hours for thicker meringue); the appearance of the hearts won't change much as they bake. After 2 hours, turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool inside the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Once the pans are cool to the touch, carefully lift the meringue pops off the pan by lifting the meringue gently (don't lift by the stick). Serve immediately or store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

CANDY CANE HEARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Line a jelly roll pan with non-stick foil.
• Place 2 candy canes together on pan in a heart shape, taking care to ensure they stay positioned.
• Carefully place pan in oven.
• Bake for 4-5 minutes or until melted together.
• Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
• Remove from pan.

VALENTINE HEART POPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated.
• Gradually add flour mixture on low until combined. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/16 inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds. Use smaller cutters to cut hearts from rounds. (If desired, save and bake heart cutouts.) Transfer 8 cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet. Press 1 lollipop stick under each cookie. Place small hearts on same cookie sheet. Chill until firm, 15 to 30 minutes. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, until firm but not browned. Transfer cookies on pan to wire rack to cool, about 20 minutes. Repeat until all dough is used. Leave cooled heart pops on ungreased cookie sheet. Set aside.
• Combine 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir over medium heat, until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium high; boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in flavored oil. Quickly pour mixture into 2 small heatproof bowls. Add food coloring to each; stir to combine. Pour into each empty heart. Make candy mixture again as in Step 5 with remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water. Fill remaining cookies. Let set until hard, 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer in single layers to airtight containers. If humid, refrigerate.

CANDY CANE HEART POPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 3 lollipop sticks on one of the baking sheets. Lay 2 candy canes in a heart shape around each stick, making sure the stick touches the inside of both candy canes at the top and bottom of the heart. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until the candy canes are slightly soft and malleable and very warm, but not hot to the touch.
• With your fingers, press the candy canes together, adhering them to the stick at the top and bottom. Gently bend the outer edges of the candy canes outwards to widen the heart shape. (If the candy canes harden too quickly, you may return to the oven for 30 seconds and try again.) Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining candy canes and sticks, using the other baking sheet and rotating the use of the sheets while the others cool.
• Once all of the hearts are formed and cooled, line them up on a piece of parchment placed on a work surface. Melt the white chocolate or candy melts in a bowl in the microwave on 50 percent power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, 1 to 2 minutes total.
• Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off and pipe it into the center of the hearts, spreading it to the edges with a small spoon or spatula. Sprinkle with the decorations of your choice. Let the pops harden completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Ornament Variation: Make the candy cane hearts without the lollipop sticks and let cool. Tie a decorative ribbon around the top of the heart, then fill with white chocolate and decorate.