Make These Navy Vet Bakery Valentine's Day Treats

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Navy veteran Luis Surla and his wife Olivia own California-based Joselle's Bakery. (Courtesy of Luis Surla)
Navy veteran Luis Surla and his wife Olivia own California-based Joselle's Bakery. (Courtesy of Luis Surla)

Updated: 1/28/2021

Joselle's Bakery in Temecula, California doesn't just serve up delicious pastries -- it's owned and operated by a veteran spouse and her Navy veteran husband. And now they want to share some of their delicious recipes with you just in time for Valentine's Day.

Luis Surla and his spouse Olivia, a pastry chef, started the business after Luis left his more than 20 year career in the Navy. They were able to open the business with help from the Semper Fi Fund's apprenticeship program, which helped cover the cost of equipment.

Most of us don't live near Temecula, which is located between Los Angeles and San Diego in Southern California. That means we can't visit the shop to test the goodies for ourselves.

But the Surlas want to make sure you can see what they do anyway, even if it means preparing their goodies in your own kitchen.

Ready for some Valentine's Day treats? Try one of these recipes straight from their kitchen.

Real Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies from Joselle's Bakery (Courtesy of Joselle's Bakery)

Ingredients: 

  • 142g -- Peanuts, Shelled, blanched
  • 255g -- All-purpose flour
  • 7g -- Baking Soda
  • 227g -- Light Brown Sugar
  • 227g -- Granulated Sugar
  • 227g -- Butter
  • 7g -- Salt
  • 114g -- Eggs
  • 340g -- Creamy Peanut Butter

Instructions:

  • Line sheet pan with Silpat mat or parchment paper
  • Sift together the flour and baking soda
  • Cream together the sugar, butter and salt with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy
  • Scrape down the bowl as needed and blend evenly
  • Add eggs in 2 or 3 additions
  • Scrape down the bowl as needed and blend evenly
  • Add the peanut butter and blend evenly
  • Add sifted flour and baking soda and cooled peanuts
  • Mix at a low speed just long enough to combine the ingredients
  • Use a 2 fl oz. scoop to divide the dough into 2 oz. portions
  • Arrange the dough on the prepared pan
  • Bake at 350 F until golden brown 8-10 mins
  • Let it cool before removing from the pan
  • Store in an airtight container

Simple Pistachio Cookies

Pistachio cookies from Joselle's Bakery (Courtesy of Joselle's Bakery)

Ingredients:

  • 7oz -- Sugar
  • 12oz -- Butter
  • 15oz -- All-purpose flour
  • 4oz -- Pistachio flour

Instructions for mixing:

  • Cube butter and place in the bowl
  • Do not over cream the butter and lumps
  • Put in the mixer to mix
  • Add sugar and continue to mix
  • Scrape the mixture
  • Add vanilla
  • Sift the flour
  • Add pistachio in the butter mixture and mix
  • Scrape then place it back to the mixer to continue to mix
  • Once nicely mix; pour flour to the pistachio mixture
  • Continue to mix in the low speed until everything combines
  • Knead to form a log
  • Scale to have 19oz ea
  • 2 log roll it with the parchment paper

Creating the cookies:

  • Cut log about 3/4 inch sections
  • Place in the tray
  • Make an indentation in the center of half the cookies, leaving half without an indentation
  • Pipe raspberry jam in the center of the ones with the indentation
  • Bake all at 350F for 10 minutes

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