Valentine pie pops

Ingredients

• 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry
• 1/2 cup jam
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 3 tbsp sugar

You will also need:

• 1 small heart-shaped cookie cutter
• 30 lollipop sticks
• red ribbon for the sticks

Method

Step 1. Preheat oven to 200å¡C conventional or 180å¡C fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Lay out frozen pastry on the bench and leave to defrost for five minutes. Using a small heart-shaped cutter, cut out heart shapes.

Step 2. Place 1/2 tsp jam in centre of pastry heart shape. Lay lollipop stick in centre. Using your fingers dipped in water, dab around edges and place another pastry heart shape on top of jam.

Step 3. Press fork around pastry edges to seal, taking care around lollipop stick so it is firmly attached. Repeat with rest of pastry heart shapes.

Step 4. Place all on lined baking trays and brush with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 12 minutes or until golden.

Note

• Make sure you don’t add too much jam into the centres of these as they will burst and become a sticky mess. If the jam is really runny, drain some of the liquid off by letting 1 tbsp jam rest on paper towel for a few minutes before using it.
• I used raspberry jam but strawberry or any of your favourite conserves will be yummy. Just make sure it’s not too chunky or you’ll have trouble getting the pastry shapes to seal properly.
• This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.