Every year, on the fourteenth of February, millions across the nation express their affection for loved ones, proving their everlasting love with an endless array of cards, flowers and chocolates.  Many of us willingly participate in the excitement of Valentine’s Day, whether it be sharing the day with our significant other or splurging on chocolate and a marathon of romantic comedies.  Regardless, the holiday’s history remains unknown to the majority of us.  Believed to originate from St. Valentine, a troubled yet heroic and romantic figure in the Catholic Church, the holiday was deemed official in 498 A.D. by Pope Gelasius.  Although the holiday’s exact origins remain somewhat unclear, the present day meaning of Valentine’s Day is unmistakable.  With approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day Cards exchanged each holiday, it is no secret that February fourteenth is a day reserved for displaying our gratitude and affection towards our loved one.  Contrary to assumption, Valentine’s is not only symbolic towards celebrating your significant other, but celebrating your  friends and family as well.  A holiday devoted to love and appreciation is applicable to all the people you are grateful for in life, therefore this year show your affection for all the loved ones in your life by making them a delicious treat!

Ingredients:

The Cookie Batter:

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for rolling the cookies

2 1/2 sticks lightly salted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup slivered almonds, ground

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Topping:

Powdered Sugar

Cookie Batter:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes.

In another bowl, combine and mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mixing and rolling the cookies:

Because this dough has a good amount of butter, it needs resting time and needs to be rolled fairly quickly. Lay 3 large pieces of wax paper in a single layer on a flat surface. Sprinkle each one with a light coating of flour. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, blend the flour mixture in with the butter. When the ingredients are fully integrated, place one-third of the batter on each of the pieces of wax paper. Coat with another light layer of flour and top with another piece of wax paper of the same length to make 3 sections of dough.  Press these wax paper and dough sandwiches down with your hands until the dough is fairly thin. This will save a lot of time in rolling later on. Place 2 of the dough sections in the refrigerator and work with them one at a time. Roll the first batch into as neat a shape as possible. What matters most is avoiding creases or cracks and getting it to about 1/8 inch in thickness. When the first sheet is rolled, refrigerate it and repeat the same process for the other 2. Let each sheet chill for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cookie bottoms:

Remove the first rolled sheet from the refrigerator and cut as many 1 1/2-inch rounds as you can. Save the scraps and keep them in the refrigerator. Arrange the cookies neatly in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other 2 sheets, saving any scraps.

Cookie tops:

Cut a heart, with the smaller cutter, out of the center of half of all of the cookies. Roll the scraps in between 2 of the pieces of wax paper and cut additional hearts, if desired.

Bake and assemble the cookie sandwiches:

Bake the cookies until they are lightly brown, (12 to 15 minutes). Remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a flat surface.

Dust powdered sugar on the top cookies , the heart cut outs before assembling the final cookie “sandwich”

Place the raspberry jam in a small pot and bring it to a light simmer. Remove from the heat to cool slightly. Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon raspberry jam on each bottom piece and place a top heart  squarely on top of each bottom.

Whether you’re spending it with your loved one or a group of your friends, show your love with these delicious themed cookies.  Have a happy Valentines Day, Sea Kings and remember- happy baking!