WHAT'S COOKIN'

Kissing Hearts (Serves 8)

Custard
2 ¼ cups chilled whipping cream
1 ¼ cups half and half
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
12 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 ounces good white chocolate (Lindt, Baker’s, etc.), finely chopped

Butter a 15x10x3/4 inch baking sheet. Line sheet with waxed paper. Combine 1 ¼ cups cream and half and half in a large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean, add the bean as well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let mixture steep for 15 minutes.

Using electric mixer at high speed, beat yolks and sugar in a large bowl until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce mixer to low and gradually beat hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Return yolk mixture to saucepan and stir over medium heat until custard thickens, about 6 minutes. Do not boil. Strain custard into a large bowl, add white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

Refrigerate custard until cooled to room temperature, whisking occasionally, about 25 minutes. Beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream until medium firm peaks form. Fold whipped cream into custard mixture in 2 additions. Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. This can be done a day ahead, but keep covered and frozen.

Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons whipping cream
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 heavy, large cookie sheets. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, cream and vanilla extract and beat until blended. Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Divide dough in half, form into disks. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate cookie dough 15 minutes.

Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness, about 11 inch round, turning dough and flouring board as necessary to prevent sticking. Using a 4 inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out 8 cookies. Transfer cookies to one prepared cookie sheet, spacing evenly. Repeat rolling and cutting with remaining dough and transfer to second sheet. Bake cookies until golden brown on edges and firm in the center, about 8 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 5 minutes, transfer to rack and cool completely. The cookies can be made 1 day in advance, but be sure to store airtight at room temperature.