Much like Christmas, Valentine’s Day is rooted in Catholicism, but has spiraled into an over commercialized holiday complete with half-naked babies shooting arrows, sexy lingerie and candy galore.
What many people don’t realize is that Saint Valentine’s Day was originally established to honor two Christian martyrs, Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. Back then, Saint Valentine’s Day had no association with romance, chocolate or flowers. Fast forward a few centuries and now Valentine’s Day is an excuse to gorge on chocolate and get drunk on champagne.
For the record, there is no known historical link between the saints’ feast day and Valentine’s Day as it is currently celebrated, but some believe that Geoffrey Chaucer had a hand in connecting the two in his 1382 poem, Parlement of Foules (Assembly of Fowls) with the line, “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”
I was educated by a bunch of hardworking Franciscan nuns. The sisters did their part to keep our focus on the saints on February 14th, but they would also gift us with a little sweet treat as well. Today I do the same for my young daughter, but instead of passing out chocolate-covered raisins like the nuns did I typically whip up these easy treats:
Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients for Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup buttermilk
Ingredients for Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (7.5-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup crushed peppermint hard candies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts; mix well.
Slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Cover dough and chill at least 30 minutes.
Drop dough in heaping tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheet, placing cookies 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies 9 to 12 minutes, or until firm.
Cool cookies.
In a large bowl make filling by creaming together butter, marshmallow creme, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar slowly; mix well.
Spread flat side of half the cookies with heaping tablespoon of filling; top with second cookie to create sandwich.
Roll edges in crushed peppermint candies.
Chill cookies in refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.
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