Tag Archives: royal icing

I Spy Fall Cookie Decorating Tips

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I miss the immaculate falls of Spokane. In college, we would venture to Greenbluff to pick apples and take walks through the vibrant leaves. Sadly, the main downside of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the lack of seasons.

Gonzaga University in the fall

Gonzaga University in the fall

To combat the missing absence of atmospheric changes, I’ve taken to baking and cooking my way through the seasons.

I decorated my favorite sugar cookies using two techniques; combining icing colors and chocolate melted candies.

Making the icing: 

2 1/4 tbs of meringue powder with 1 bag of powered sugar and 1 cup water. You can add flavoring such as vanilla or peppermint if desired. Use an electric mixer and beat for about 4-5 minutes.

Applying the icing: 

Outline the cookie using an icing bag with the tip used to write (it is just a small circle tip, nothing fancy). Then go back and forth horizontally between the outline to fill in the cookie. If you apply enough icing, it should spread out to fill between the cracks. Icing with meringue powder needs to dry overnight.

Fun ideas for mixing colors: 

I discovered by combing the icing (not blending the colors together but leaving them touching but separate in the container) makes a fun and somewhat realistic leaf cookie!

tri-color cookies

Applying the chocolate 

I really like adding chocolate to sugar cookies because it isn’t very common. I find that a little bit of chocolate goes a long way and adds some fun decorations! Use candy melts and follow the directors on the package. Use an icing bag to pipe designs onto your cookies. In the winter, I like to use white chocolate or even the mint/green color to decorate my cookies.

Supplies:

I’ve slowly collected the following supplies  to decorate my cookies (all supplies can be purchased at Michael’s):

1) Meringue Powder is an egg substitute, you can use 2 1/4 tbs of meringue powder for 2lb bag of powder sugar.

2) Food Coloring, I used the professional cake decorating food coloring listed below. However, the food network recently published a brilliant way to create all the colors through the convention food dye that you can buy at Target.

Professional cake decorating food coloring (not that much more expensive than the store bought ones, and lasts longer!)

3) Cupcake decorating kit using the tip to write on cakes.

4) Milk chocolate candy melts

Candy melts come in various flavors and colors

One last comment…  Because sugar cookies are so labor intensive, I always make a double batch, which allows me to send cookies to two small-to-moderate sized work environments and keep some for home. Have fun with your edible art project!

I Spy Valentine’s Day Cookies

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Every time I bake, I am amazed by the beauty of the process. Personally, I am trying to improve my presentation of baked goods. I feel as if I have the taste part down, but the presentation needs help.

I don't know why, but I find glass mixing bowls absolutely beautiful

Through trying and failing many times to make the adorable bakery purchased cookies, I’ve finally discovered a few tips. Meringue Powder, a frosting decorating set and simplicity.

My first successful beauty-baking : Valentine's Day Hearts. Simple, but sweet.

My original intent was to create an edible version of conversation hearts. Since I love the thrill of picking a heart with a witty saying, but despise the nasty taste of children’s Motrin in the grape colored candy, I thought sugar cookies would make the perfect vessel. However, through the process of baking and icing, I discovered the cookies looked much prettier without text.

For my Valentine’s Day cookies, I turned to my signature recipe that puts a small twist on Alton Brown’s Sugar Cookies.

Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies with Meringue Frosting:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs half and half

1/2 tsp vanilla
 Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough and icing

In a large bowl beat butter (room temperature) and sugar together until fluffy (about a minute). Whisk egg, half and half and vanilla together in a small bowl or mug, bled into butter mixture. Set aside

Sifting flour, salt and baking powder into the mixture

Alton Brown’s recipe says to “sift” baking powder, salt, and flour together. If you do not have a sifter, gently combine with a wooden spoon — everything turns out just fine. If you are very worried about the sifting aspect, you can briefly use a food processor to blend the ingredients, emphasis on briefly though as it refines the flour.

About 3/4 a cup at a time, begin to blend in the dry mixture into the large bowl of wet ingredients. Separate into two rolls and refrigerate for about 2 hours, roll out on powder sugar surface (or flour) and cookie-cut your heart out.

When I am in a hurry, I roll the dough into three smaller balls and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Bake for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

1/2 + 2Tbs of Meringue Powder
2 lbs powder sugar (1 bag)
1 C Water

Mix on low speed for 7 minutes.

Color frosting using conventional food dye or gel dye. Place in frosting tubes, use the frosting head that is a small circle (often used for writing) and trace an outline around the shape of the cookie. Then fill in by drawing back-and-forth lines with the frosting tube. There is no need to use a knife. Let the frosting relax and fill in the remainder of the cookie. Let dry over night.

The final product, Valentine's Day Cookies

Questions about Meringue Powder? Me too!

What does it do? Acts as a bind for frosting and some types of cakes
Where is it used? Royal Frosting, meringues, and angel food cake
How much does it cost? About 5 dollars for 1 cup

You can find Meringue powder in cake decorating sections. I purchased mine at Michael’s.  Essentially meringue powder was created as a solution to using raw egg in frosting. As I noticed during my gingerbread party last Christmas, the frosting included 6 raw egg whites, which would send many parents squealing for the doors.  Meringue powder provides a safe way to make royal frosting without the egg whites. In a pinch, you can substitute an egg with meringue powder and a little bit of water.