I'm taking the plunge this year!!! I'm going to try my hand at making really pretty, professional looking decorated cutout cookies.
You know...the ones you see in magazines and think...no way! Too hard! Too complicated!
Pioneer Woman had a great post a while back that broke it down for me and I'm going to give it a shot!
Here is the link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/decorated-christmas-cookies/
I just ordered meringue powder from Amazon and I'm going to place an order for a couple of the recommended food gels too - just red and green to start. And also a few of the squeeze bottles they used to do the icing...I think it will make it a lot easier!!!
Since I am planning to only do cutout cookies and one drop cookie recipe this season, I feel like I can spend the extra time on this decorating technique. That is my theory, anyway!
For the cookie part of things I am using a Hershey's recipe for Jolly Peanut Butter Gingerbread Cookies.
I'd give the link but even though I could pull it up on their site yesterday, today it says page not found! I have it in a cookbook at home though, so I can share if anyone wants it. One batch makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Since the royal icing is more decorative than ohmygosh tasty - it is important to have a cookie with good flavor. I've made these before and they are quite yummy!
I will experiment when all my ingredients and tools arrive and let you guys know how it goes.
Cost wise, the investment wasn't too bad. $10 for 5 oz of a good meringue powder and with shipping about $8 for 3 squeeze bottles and two things of food color - all of which I hope to get lots of use out of!
Here is the site I used for the bottles and food coloring:
www.sweetbakingsupply.com
Wish me luck!
You know...the ones you see in magazines and think...no way! Too hard! Too complicated!
Pioneer Woman had a great post a while back that broke it down for me and I'm going to give it a shot!
Here is the link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/decorated-christmas-cookies/
I just ordered meringue powder from Amazon and I'm going to place an order for a couple of the recommended food gels too - just red and green to start. And also a few of the squeeze bottles they used to do the icing...I think it will make it a lot easier!!!
Since I am planning to only do cutout cookies and one drop cookie recipe this season, I feel like I can spend the extra time on this decorating technique. That is my theory, anyway!
For the cookie part of things I am using a Hershey's recipe for Jolly Peanut Butter Gingerbread Cookies.
I'd give the link but even though I could pull it up on their site yesterday, today it says page not found! I have it in a cookbook at home though, so I can share if anyone wants it. One batch makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Since the royal icing is more decorative than ohmygosh tasty - it is important to have a cookie with good flavor. I've made these before and they are quite yummy!
I will experiment when all my ingredients and tools arrive and let you guys know how it goes.
Cost wise, the investment wasn't too bad. $10 for 5 oz of a good meringue powder and with shipping about $8 for 3 squeeze bottles and two things of food color - all of which I hope to get lots of use out of!
Here is the site I used for the bottles and food coloring:
www.sweetbakingsupply.com
Wish me luck!