Scandinavian honey heart cookies

Yield: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup unsalted butter 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 2 teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 egg 5 ounces 63% (or higher) bittersweet chocolate, broken or chopped into pieces DIRECTIONS 1. In a small saucepan, whisk the honey, sugar and butter over medium heat until melted. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and allow to cool for 10 minutes. 2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and salt. 3. By hand, whisk the egg into the honey mixture. Add the flour mixture to the honey mixture and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed until uniform in color, about 3minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky, so wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using. It can also be safely refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. 4. When you are ready to bake the cookies, line two 13- by 18-inch baking trays with parchment paper. Arrange two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 5. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. (These cookies are meant to be thick.) Cut the dough into hearts using cookie cutters — my favorite size is a 5-inch heart — and transfer to the prepared baking trays, spacing them 1inch apart. Feel free to reroll your scraps to make more cookies. 6. Bake for 20-25minutes, rotating the baking trays halfway through from top to bottom and front to back, until light brown and firm to the touch. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookies. 7. Transfer the hearts to a rack to cool. 8. When they’re completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and cover with a piece of parchment paper followed by a damp kitchen towel. Seal the container and refrigerate for a minimum of 1day or up to 4days. Putting the hearts in the refrigerator is not obligatory but strongly suggested: It makes the hearts magically and wonderfully chewy. 9. Tempering chocolate is a process of melting chocolate slowly to give it a smooth and glossy finish and allow it to set well on baked goods. Place three-quarters of the chocolate in a medium heat-resistant bowl. Fill a saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a low simmer. Place the bowl over (but not touching) the simmering water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until almost entirely melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan (keep the heat on) and stir to melt remaining bits. Add the rest of the chopped chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Place the bowl back over the simmering water and heat, stirring often, until almost entirely melted. Be sure not to let the chocolate get warmer than 88degrees. Dip the fronts of the hearts in the chocolate and allow them to dry on a rack. Decorate the chocolate-covered hearts however you like. The cookies can be served right away or stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.