Thursday, October 9, 2008

Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing




Sugar Cookies
4 sticks butter
3 cups sugar

Cream together for a while

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in well

5 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Add half the flour first and when it is all mixed well add the other half (I don't know why -- that is what the directions said, but be prepared for all that flour to fly at you!)

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (but check often-- as soon as the edges are slightly gold take them out! )

Royal Icing
2 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar

Blend until stiff peaked

Add 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix for 10 minutes (use an electric mixer or go crazy)

Add 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix for another 10 minutes (see what I mean)

Use water to thin to the right consistency (a ribbon of it will absorb into the other in 5-7 seconds)

Divide and color. Put into FREEZER ziplocks (the storage ones just don't hold up.) When ready to decorate, snip the corner and use like a piping bag.

I did these over a couple of days lest I go nuts trying to help all the kids. When done, just put the ziplocks in the fridge and tackle the project again when your patience with small children has returned. (or do the rest later all by yourself and find that it is really fun)

3 comments:

Amber said...

They look so pretty- almost too good to eat. And I can see that the icing is definitely a do-ahead activity--it sounds like it takes some time. Does the icing taste yummy as well as look good? And how do you get such good colors?

Kelli said...

I really liked the candy corn ones. They are so darn cute!

erica said...

Hey Jamie. The cookies look fabulous...you are obviously a Saint to have that much patience! Since you are the queen of cooking, I have a halarious question for you. Do you have any good ideas or recipes using food storage. I have to demonstrate a recipe tomorrow at Enrichment! Ugh!