Valentine’s Day Cherry Heart Pies

VALENTINE’S CHERRY HEART PIES

This recipe features in the Hats and Bells Children’s Party Cookbook in the Wild, Wild West Chapter but we think it would work brilliantly to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones.

Mama’s Cherry Pies

Serves 8

Is there anything more comforting than the smell of home-baked pie?  Perhaps there’d be less shoot-outs if people baked and ate more pie?!  We can only wonder but these pies warm the hearts of all who taste them.  We’ve used fresh cherries in this recipe but apple, cinnamon and blackberries make a delicious alternative for those colder months.

Ingredients

100g mascarpone

140g fresh cherries, pitted and finely chopped and drained

1 tablespoon raspberry jam

320g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry sheet

1 large egg, beaten

icing sugar, for dusting

• Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.  Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• In a bowl, gently mix together the mascarpone, cherry pieces and jam.  Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, unroll the pastry and stamp out 16 heart shapes, using a 6 cm heart-shaped cookie cutter.

• Place a heaped teaspoon of the cherry mixture in the centre of each of the eight hearts.

• Lightly brush the remaining eight pastry hearts with beaten egg and lay them on top of the cherry mix.
• Brush the surface of each pie with the egg and using a fork gently crimp the edges, sealing the pastry sheets together.  Prick each pie in the centre with a fork.
• Place on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

• Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

Fudge Making in Bath

I was whisked off to Bath for the weekend (which ended with a proposal!) but before we started drinking champagne we came across this gorgeous shop (The Fudge Kitchen) where we watched them make fudge.

It looked like hot work but the charming fudge maker talked us through the techniques to make the delicious treats, I wonder if I could justify buying a marble slab?!

I have been lucky enough to have had a few trips to France recently and I will never get tired of seeing their stunning patisseries, delis and sweet shops.  The displays are all beautiful, and there is something magical about the style and flamboyance of Paris and then the elegant simplicity of the rural markets and shops.

Hard Boiled Sweets

Deli packed with delicious treats in Cordes

Window Display in Gaillac

Sugar Cubes in Paris

Ladurée seems to be the place to go to buy macaroons in Paris; their displays are stunning and the queues outside every store seem justified.  However, there are so many other amazing places to buy these colourful treats.  I loved Biscuiterie de Montmartre who had a treasure trove of yumminess.

Ralph Laurens Restaurant, Boulevard Saint-Germain

Flower Market in Paris

Wimbledon 2013

It’s that time again…when Wimbledon hits our screens and tennis fever takes over London.  Luckily the Hats and Bells team love tennis, so our clients Wimbledon party is always a great date in our calendar.

Wild Rice, Feta and Broad Bean Salad

Chorizo, Sunblushed Tomato and Pesto Salad

Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and Pine Nut Fusilli Pasta Salad

Honeycomb Rocky Road with Icing Tennis Balls and Daisies

Shortbread Towers with Strawberries and Cream

Carrot Cake with Walnuts

Baby Shower for Bels

Bels of Hats and Bells, is having a baby this month and so we obviously had to put our baking party hats on to have a mini celebration! It was a surprise, and really just a good excuse to eat cookies and cake and to “shower” her with presents.

Chocolate Sprinkle Spoons

Baby Shower Cupcakes

 Chocolate Baby Grow, Duck and Milk Bottle Cookies

Please contact us if we can help with your baby shower http://www.hatsandbells.com

Pink and Princessy

Not surprisingly, Princess themed parties are pretty popular, and although this can be adapted so they aren’t too glittery and pink, this party princess wanted an extra helping of pink fairy dust!

The Party Room

Cheesey Crown Biscuits

Mini Cupcakes

Sparkly Popcorn Buckets

Princess Birthday Cake

Personalised Party Bag Cookies

A journey to space

After Felix Baumgartner’s amazing achievements this week, it seems a space party is even more apt.

Fancy some Fancy Dress?

So many children’s parties are fancy dress, and although the more commercialised costumes can be a hit, we have found some great companies that make gorgeous outfits, or give you the tools to make your own!

Crafts4Fun are generously offering to give away one of each of these great sets.  Email us at thegirls@hatsandbells.com with your name, address and phone number and the outfit you would like to win and there will be a random draw to pick the winner.  The competition ends 19th October 2012.

Red Berry is a family run business (mother and daughter) and all their capes are all handmade.  Prices are  £19.50 with no personalisation, £23 with an initial and £26 with a name (max 7 letters).  They are one sized and fit from age 3-7. www.redberryapple.co.uk

Red Berry Capes

Blue Red Berry Cape

London Olympics 2012

There is no doubt that the Olympics have brought a huge sense of patriotism to all in London.  As I write this Great Britain have won another Gold, this one is in the woman’s rowing; Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger!

Giant Olympic Cake made of 50 Cupcakes

Olympic Cookies

GB Party Table!

“London” Cupcakes

Game, Set, Match.

Wimbledon Fever has hit, so what better theme for a party?

The main food was a BBQ but we created a few salads and then we concentrated on theming the cakes and cookies!

Tennis Ball Napkins

 Shortbread Tennis Racquets and Balls

Wimbledon Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes

Tennis Ball Cupcakes

We did some tennis ball cupcakes.  The top ones are mini cupcakes, which are a great tiny treat.