Vanilla hearts facts for kids
Two vanilla hearts.
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| Alternative names | Vaniljhjärta |
|---|---|
| Type | Pastry |
| Course | Dessert |
| Cooking time | 60 minutes to 1 hour 30 min |
| Serving temperature | Slightly cold to room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Butter, flour, egg, milk, sugar, potato starch, and vanilla |
| Ingredients generally used | Powdered sugar |
| Other information | Needs to cool for additional 30 minutes. |
Vanilla hearts, or vaniljhjärtan as they are called in Sweden, are a super yummy type of pastry. These sweet treats are made from a special kind of dough called shortcrust dough. They are shaped like hearts and filled with a creamy, delicious vanilla filling. After baking, they are often sprinkled with powdered sugar on top.
Vanilla hearts are very popular in Sweden. In fact, they are often listed as one of the top ten most loved small biscuits and cakes in the country! They are a favorite dessert or snack for many people there.
What Are Vanilla Hearts?
Vanilla hearts are a classic Swedish baked good. They combine a crisp, buttery crust with a smooth, sweet vanilla cream inside. The name "vaniljhjärtan" literally means "vanilla hearts" in Swedish, which perfectly describes their shape and main flavor.
How They're Made
Making vanilla hearts involves a few simple steps. First, a shortcrust dough is prepared. This dough is rich and crumbly, made with ingredients like butter, flour, and sugar. It's similar to the dough used for pie crusts.
Once the dough is ready, it's pressed into heart-shaped molds. Before baking, a creamy vanilla filling is added to the center of each heart. This filling is usually a type of custard made with milk, egg, sugar, and lots of vanilla.
Different Shapes and History
While the heart shape is the most common and well-known for these pastries, they can actually be baked in other shapes too. Sometimes, you might find them in pleated molds, which gives them a different look.
Interestingly, an old recipe from 1913 shows how these pastries have changed over time. In that year's edition of a famous Swedish cookbook called Prinsessornas kokbok, a similar pastry was called Norska linser, which means "Norwegian lenses" in English. These older versions were often plain and round, not heart-shaped at all! This shows how recipes and popular shapes can evolve over many years.
