Description
Delicate almond shortbread hearts filled with a creamy, Amaretto-infused mascarpone filling. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
- 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 110g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 300g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 50g (½ cup) almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 250g (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 60ml (¼ cup) heavy cream
- 60ml (¼ cup) Amaretto liqueur
- 50g (¼ cup) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Toasted sliced almonds
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Add Almond Extract: Stir in the almond extract until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
- Gradually Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Form the Dough into a Disc: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently form it into a disc, about 1 inch thick. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness.
- Cut Out Heart Shapes: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies from the rolled-out dough. Re-roll any scraps of dough and cut out more cookies until all the dough is used.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the heart-shaped cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about ½ inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Soften the Mascarpone Cheese: Ensure the mascarpone cheese is softened to room temperature.
- Whip the Heavy Cream: In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Combine Mascarpone, Amaretto, and Powdered Sugar: In a separate bowl, combine the softened mascarpone cheese, Amaretto liqueur, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Gently Fold in Whipped Cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until just combined.
- Chill the Filling: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes to allow it to firm up slightly.
- Prepare Piping Bag (Optional): If you want to pipe the filling onto the cookies, transfer the chilled filling to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
- Pipe or Spread the Filling: Pipe or spread a generous amount of the Mascarpone Amaretto filling onto the flat side of half of the cooled almond shortbread hearts.
- Top with Another Cookie: Gently top each filled cookie with another almond shortbread heart, creating a sandwich. Press down lightly to secure the cookies together.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar (Optional): Dust the assembled Mascarpone Amaretto Hearts with powdered sugar for a decorative touch.
- Decorate (Optional): Decorate the edges of the cookies with toasted sliced almonds or chocolate shavings for an extra touch of elegance.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the assembled Mascarpone Amaretto Hearts for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the filling to firm up completely.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the Mascarpone Amaretto Hearts chilled and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened for the shortbread dough.
- Don’t overmix the shortbread dough to avoid tough cookies.
- Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing spreading during baking.
- Sift the powdered sugar for the filling to avoid lumps.
- Be careful not to overwhip the heavy cream.
- Chilling the assembled cookies helps the filling firm up and enhances the flavors.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes