Puppy Love Biscuits
An adult’s help, 4 cups plain flour, ¾ tsp salt, ¾ tsp baking powder, 225g softened butter, 1½ cups caster sugar, 1½ tsp vanilla extract, ¾ tsp almond extract, 2 large eggs, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, lolly eyes, red and brown Smarties, heart-shaped cookie cutters in 3 sizes (small, medium, large)
1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat until combined. Mix in eggs until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
3. Divide dough in half. Mix cocoa powder into ½ of the dough. Flatten both halves of dough into discs, wrap firmly in plastic wrap and leave in fridge for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour, remove dough from fridge. Preheat oven to 180*C.
5. Dust the bench or a chopping board with flour and roll out plain dough to about 5-6 mm thick with a rolling pin. Cut out multiple heart shapes in 3 different sizes. Remove excess dough and set aside. Repeat with chocolate dough.
6. Take remaining plain and chocolate dough and knead together to create a marble effect. Roll out and repeat cutting as above.
7. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper. To assemble the puppies, take a large heart with the point facing up. Place the smallest heart on top of the large heart to create the snout.
8. Cut the medium sized heart in half from tip to groove, creating two ears. Brush a bit of water on one edge then press in place against the large heart cookie. Mix and match doughs to create a variety of different pups.
9. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until edges begin to brown slightly.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
11. Use melted chocolate or icing to attach lolly eyes and a Smartie for the nose.
Valentine’s Day is on 14 February. It’s a day where people celebrate the love in their life. That could be family or friends, or even the special furry friends we love. Not just on Valentine’s Day but any day – or everyday! – it’s always worthwhile to tell the people we love that we care about them. We can say “I love you” or write them a note. We can show our love by being a good helper. You can also let someone know they’re special by giving them a thoughtful gift. Maybe you can make someone you care about some puppy biscuits.
