Chocolate and Strawberry Love Hearts

 Hello there! Valentine's Day is tomorrow and although Tom and I do not really celebrate it, I thought it was the perfect excuse to do some baking. Today I will be showing you how to make these really easy but yummy chocolate and strawberry love hearts! Now these do not have to be made solely for Valentine's Day; they can be made any time of the year with your own choice of filling, or even your own choice of shape. 

 Now it's up to you whether you make your own pastry or not. If you're stuck for time you might just want to buy some ready made shortcrust pastry, but I always think it's a lot nicer if you have the time to make it yourself. 

 To make the pastry you will need:

-150g plain flour

-25g caster sugar

-35g lard or vegetable fat

-40g stork 

Add the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lard and stork in chunks and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add 1tsp of water per 25g flour and form together into a dough. Place some flour down on your work surface and roll out the pastry!

Makes 20

For the chocolate strawberry love hearts you will need:

-Your pastry

-Strawberries chopped into thin slices

-Chocolate spread

-Heart shaped cookie cutter

-Caster sugar to sprinkle on top

 First of all cut out a sheet of baking paper to cover your baking tray.

 Once you have rolled out your pastry you will need to cut out two heart shapes per love heart. 

 Take a small amount of chocolate spread and spoon it onto the middle of one heart. Spread this around the heart.

 Next take one of your slices of strawberry and put it onto the chocolate spread.

 Take your other heart and place it over the top. Take a fork and crimp around the side to ensure the chocolate spread doesn't ooze out! 

 Prick the top of the heart with a fork.

 Place onto your baking sheet and repeat this process until you are out of pastry!

 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

 Wash the hearts with water and sprinkle some caster sugar on top. 

 Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

 Take out of the oven and leave to cool on a rack. Once cooled you can enjoy! 

 I hope you enjoy these as much as I did if you make them! As always let me know if you do, and I hope you have a lovely weekend. Are you doing anything for Valentine's Day?

Love Jess xxx