Valentine’s Day Lollipop Cookies Recipe

Ingredients (for one dozen cookies):

12 craft sticks

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate

1 egg white

1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 drops red food coloring

Directions:

1. Soak craft sticks for one hour in a bowl of cold water.
2. In small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; let cool.
3. In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Beat egg in well; beat in cooled chocolate. With mixer at low speed, beat in flour, cocoa powder and salt until smooth. Divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) and grease 2 large cookie sheets.
5. Roll each half out to 1/8 inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper; freeze, in wax paper, 5 minutes. Peal top sheets of wax paper off dough; cut dough out using 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Reroll scraps; freeze again 5 minutes; cut out. Place half of the hearts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
6. Drain sticks, pat dry. Place one stick on each heart to make 2 1/2 inch handle, pressing lightly into dough. Place remaining hearts on top; press edges gently to seal. Bake about 12 minutes until firm to touch. Cool on wire racks.
7. In 2-quart heavy saucepan over very low heat, or in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white or milk chocolate until melted and smooth; if using both chocolates, melt in separate 1-quart pans. Remove from heat.
8. Holding each lollipop by handle, dip into chocolate to coat on both sides; let excess chocolate drip back into pan. Place each lollipop as it is coated on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet; refrigerate 20 minutes until chocolate is set.
9. To Make Icing: In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg white and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth. If desired, remove small portion of icing to separate bowl; tint with drops of food coloring. Spoon icing into decorating bag fitted with small writing tip; pipe over lollipops in desired patterns. Decorate with assorted candies and decors; attaching with dots of icing.