Canute ❤️

The season of love is a perfect time to prepare a special dessert that impresses not only in taste, but also in appearance. Today, I invite you to discover the delicious recipe for 'Canuettes with Hearts', an exquisite dessert that combines a fluffy texture with an adorable print, ideal to add a touch of magic to any occasion. This dessert is perfect for Valentine's Day but can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Total preparation time: 3 hours
Prep time: 1 hour
Baking time: 10 minutes
Number of servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

Print:
- 50 g butter
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 40 g flour
- 10 g cocoa

White icing
- 80 g ground almonds
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 25 g flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons toasted sugar
- 30 g melted butter

Cream:
- 100 g butter
- 200 ml milk
- 25 g flour
- 100 g sugar
- Peel and zest of one lemon (juice to taste)

Utensils needed
- Mixing bowls
- Mixer or whisk
- Pastry bags (pos) with small tip
- Baking tray
- Baking paper or silicone baking sheet
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Lemon grater

Brief history
This type of dessert, with decorative prints, has its origins in traditional pastry making, where creativity and attention to detail are essential. Inspiration can come from nature, geometric shapes or the simplicity of love, as the hearts in our recipe suggest. Combining taste with an elegant presentation, 'Heart Candies with Hearts' become the perfect choice to bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones.

Step by step

1. Print preparation:
Start by rubbing the butter with the powdered sugar in a bowl until the sugar melts completely. This will create a creamy base. Add in the two egg whites, one at a time, stirring continuously to make a smooth mixture.

2. Mixing the dry ingredients:
In another bowl, combine the flour and cocoa. Next, fold the flour and cocoa mixture into the butter and egg whites, stirring gently until you have a smooth chocolate cream.

3. Creating the print:
Fill a pastry bag with the resulting mixture. On a baking sheet or silicone sheet, draw hearts or any desired shape. Make sure the print is well defined. This step is essential to make your dessert look truly spectacular!

4. Freeze the print:
Put the printed sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours so that it hardens well.

5. Preparing the countertops:
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the toasted sugar until stiff. In another bowl, whisk the yolks with the powdered sugar until creamy. Add melted butter and ground almonds, mixing well.

6. Incorporating the egg whites:
Gradually add the foamed egg whites to the yolk mixture, stirring gently so as not to lose air.

7. Baking the shortcakes:
Preheat oven to medium. Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer and quickly pour the almond mixture over the top, spreading evenly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

8. Cooling and forming:
Once baked, remove the sheet from the oven and carefully roll to create a top. Allow to cool completely, then gently unroll; the heart print will appear on the back of the sheet.

9. Making the custard:
In a saucepan, add 150 ml milk, the sugar and lemon zest. In a small bowl, dissolve the flour with the remaining 50 ml of milk. When the milk in the saucepan comes to a boil, add the flour mixture to the saucepan, stirring vigorously. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow the cream to cool slightly.

10. Finishing the cream:
Incorporate the chopped butter into the flour cream, stirring continuously. Add lemon juice to taste. This cream is a childhood memory, full of flavor and nostalgia!

11. Assemble the mugs:
Use a beaker to cut out little circles from the almond crumble. On a plate, place a circle of shortbread, add a dollop of cream, orange cubes (optional), then continue adding layers of shortbread and cream until you get close to the edge of the mug.

12. Top with chocolate:
Melt the chocolate (dark or white) and pour it over the top of the mugs, leaving a little room for a final white chocolate design.

13. Decorating:
Use the white chocolate to draw hearts or other shapes on the surface of the mugs, and from the sugar paste, create roses for a final elegant detail.

Practical tips
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before you start to get an even texture.
- If you don't have ground almonds, you can use almond flour or other ground nuts.
- You can experiment with different flavors for the cream, such as vanilla or almond essence.
- This dessert pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or flavored tea, which will bring out the sweetness of the candy canes.

Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I replace the egg whites with something else?
You can use whole eggs, but the end result will be different in terms of texture.

2. What can I do with le leftover pandipan?
You can create other desserts or cakes, using them as a base for cakes or even as a topping for ice cream.

3. How can I make desserts healthier?
You can reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe or replace white sugar with healthier alternatives such as honey or maple syrup.

Possible variations
- Add nuts or dried fruit to the sponge mixture for extra texture.
- Use white cocoa or white chocolate to diversify the taste and appearance.

Now that you've got all the information you need, get cooking! Savor every step and enjoy the end result: 'Canute with hearts' is not just a dessert, but a declaration of culinary love. Enjoy!