Heart-shaped berries

Berry Hearts – an irresistible dessert to celebrate love!

This quick and simple dessert is perfect for Valentine's Day or any special moment when you want to impress someone dear. The heart-shaped cookies are not only delicious but also beautifully decorated, and the combination of berries and coconut makes them truly unique. Let's see how you can prepare these delights step by step!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 45 minutes (including cooling time)
Number of servings: 20 hearts

Ingredients:

- 250 g berries (you can use raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries, fresh or frozen)
- 170 g butter (at room temperature)
- 200 g sugar
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar
- 270 g flour
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 pinch of salt

For decoration:
- 100 g white chocolate
- Red coconut (you can also use regular coconut, but the red color will make the dessert more festive)

Instructions:

1. Preparing the berry puree: If you are using frozen berries, make sure to thaw them completely and drain well. Put them in a blender and blend for a few seconds until you get a puree with seeds. If you prefer a smooth puree, strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds, thus achieving a delicate texture.

2. Preparing the dough: In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar using an electric mixer until you get a fluffy and homogeneous cream. Add the berry puree and mix again until incorporated.

3. Adding dry ingredients: Sift the flour together with the cornstarch and salt, then gradually add them to the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until you obtain a homogeneous dough.

4. Chilling the dough: Form a ball from the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Leave it in the refrigerator for one hour. This step is essential to achieve cookies that keep their shape when baked.

5. Cutting the hearts: Preheat the oven to 175°C. After the dough has hardened, take it out of the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it reaches a thickness of about 0.5 cm. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out the cookies and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

6. Baking: Bake the hearts in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. The cookies should not brown, so watch their color closely!

7. Decorating: After they have cooled, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, being careful not to burn it. Dip each heart into the melted chocolate, then into the red coconut to give them an attractive appearance.

8. Final cooling: Place the decorated hearts on a cake stand and let them set for one hour, allowing the chocolate to firm up well.

Suggestions and variations:
- You can replace the berries with other fruits, such as bananas or peaches, for a different version.
- Add some chopped nuts to the dough for a crunchy texture.
- Serve the cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a chocolate sauce for a more decadent dessert.

These Berry Hearts are not only a delicious dessert but also a wonderful way to express your love! Enjoy and bon appétit!