Lunch: From-the-Heart Petits Fours

Petits fours are simply bite-size frosted cakes. You'll find marzipan in the spice aisle of your supermarket. The glaze on these hearts works best when heated only once, so prepare all your cakes, and then glaze in one final step.

Ingredients

2 (10 3/4-ounce) frozen pound cakes, thawed and cut into 1-inch thick slices
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 1/2 tablespoons water
4 ounces marzipan
7 cups sifted powdered sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 drop red liquid food coloring

Instructions

Cut 2 heart shapes from each cake slice, using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Reserve excess cake for another use.
Cook jam and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Place cake hearts on a wire rack in a wax paper-lined 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan. Brush jam mixture evenly over tops and sides of cake hearts.
Knead marzipan gently; place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and roll to 1/16-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap, and cut out 28 hearts, using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place marzipan hearts over cake hearts. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Combine powdered sugar, 1/2 cup water, and corn syrup in a large saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture is translucent. Add remaining water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until glazing consistency. Stir in red liquid food coloring until blended.
Spoon icing evenly over cake hearts, coating completely.