Pastries Dessert Recipes - Lovers Dessert Recipe

Ingredients

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup unsalted (sweet) butter, diced, plus extra for greasing

• 50 g/2 oz/1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

• 100 g/4 oz strawberries

• 150 ml/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream

• icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting

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Method:

1. Make a heart-shaped template out of card or greaseproof (waxed) paper, about 10 cm/4 in long. Sift the flour into a bowl.

2. Add the butter and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and orange rind and knead to form a firm dough.

3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12 heart shapes, using the template as a guide. Re-roll the trimmings to make the last ones.

4. Place on two greased baking (cookie) sheets. Cut a heart-shaped hole, about 5 cm/2 in long, out of six of the hearts, using a sharp pointed knife.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3 for about 20 minutes until a pale golden brown. Leave to cool, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cold.

6. Slice two or three of the strawberries and mash the remainder. Whip the cream and orange juice until stiff and lightly fold in the mashed strawberries.

7. Place the uncut hearts on six serving plates. Top with the strawberry cream, then the cut heart shapes. Dust with sifted icing sugar and decorate with the sliced strawberries.