Valentine's Lemon Heart

To make: 30 minutes

To bake: 10 minutes

From Jennifer Miller, corporate executive pastry chef of the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group in Bingham Farms.

Lemon Curd:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup condensed milk

Mix sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. In a double boiler, combine eggs, egg yolk and sugar, and mix until all sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and cook until the curd reaches 180 degrees. Then remove from the heat and place bowl in an ice water bath and stir till it cools. Finally, stir in condensed milk and refrigerate till needed.

Sugar Cookie Hearts:

8 ounces butter1 cup sugar

1 extra-large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Place butter and sugar in a mixer and cream together. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla, scrape the bowl and mix again. Add flour and baking powder and mix till all is well combined.Roll out dough and cut out larger and miniature heart cookies. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Dessert assembly:

Place the large heart cookie on a plate; spread the lemon curd atop of the cookie. Decorate the curd with fresh raspberries, creating a red heart. Dust the raspberries with powdered sugar and place the small heart cookie on top. Makes 4 desserts.

Note: You can purchase heart cutters at Michael’s stores throughout Metro Detroit

Per serving: 1,234 calories; 55 g fat (32 g saturated fat; 40 percent calories from fat); 168 g carbohydrates; 349 mg cholesterol; 766 mg sodium; 19 g protein; 3 g fiber.40 Minutes30 minutes to make 10 minutes to bake