Valentine's Day is less than one month away. I say we start planning ahead for sweet treats and festive accents! When my husband and I were dating and newly married, Valentine's Day was all about the flowers and possible bauble or sparkle. After I became a mom, Valentine's Day became more about the cute treats I could make for my boys, or the fun arts & crafts project. Well now that my kids are both teenagers, they're not so into "art projects", but nobody outgrows sweets, especially hot cocoa with whipped cream!! This little project is a fun way to jazz up your hot chocolate. First of all, one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes can be found at Nutmeg Nanny. You can find the recipe here.
For the Whipped Cream Cut-Outs you'll need:
- 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 T Madagascar Vanilla Extract (always use the real thing!)
- 4 T Powdered Sugar (more or less to taste)
- A "squirt" pink food coloring (optional)
- Shallow baking sheet
- Parchment or Wax paper
- Small cookie cutters
In a glass bowl add the whipping cream, vanilla, and food coloring. Whip with a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks start to form. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until sugar is incorporated.
Place your parchment or wax paper on your baking sheet. Spoon the whipped cream onto the paper and spread evenly. Make sure the thickness is the same or a little less than the depth of your cookie cutters. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for at least 60 minutes, or until the cream is frozen. Once the cream is solid, remove from freezer and start cutting out your shapes! I like to have a clean sheet of parchment or wax paper ready for the cut outs, or you can layer them with parchment or wax paper in a airtight container. Add to your hot cocoa, and top with a few sprinkles. Keep any unused cutouts in the freezer.
