In Mandy’s words … “For you, it may be back to school; the start of Spring or Autumn/Fall depending where you are in the world; September could also be someone special’s birthday or even the beginning of your favourite sporting season. Whatever happens in your life in September, that’s what I’d like your cookies to be about.”
The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.
My cookies are for Rosie, and inspired by her. Did you know Rosie? She was a sweet and popular blogger from the UK, who used to blog at Peace of Cake. I think a few of us, some of us who’ve been around for 3 years, might have known her. At the time, blogging and bloggers were a small, tight knit community of few, and we more or less knew each other. It Rosie was who introduced me to royal icing on cookies.
These cookies are inspired by Rosie, and a tribute to her!
I find nature and it’s colours very inspiring, and it often reflects in my posts. With the weather changing here in North India, the days are full of colourful dragon flies and butterflies chasing each other in the sun tirelessly. If not in the kitchen, then you can find me sitting in the garden for hours together, chasing these intriguing creatures, watching the busy bees in their hive, or chasing the chameleon for a close up. Just what I like to do!
This red dragon fly had us fascinated when the son found it resting in the leaves of the palm after sun down one evening. The two of us spent over an hour taking pictures of this rather obliging creature that just hung there forever.
The challenge was great, more so because I’ve had Peggy Porschen’s book on my shelf for over 2 years, and have always wanted to make something from it. It’s a stunning book, from an immensely talented lady, eye candy all the way. I was so glad to grab the opportunity to open the book and bake! I added a scraped vanilla bean to the cookie dough, and they were lovely to eat sans the icing! I made the butter for the cookies at home, something I’ve been doing for ages. I always have about half a kilo of butter in the freezer.
The cookies were a breeze to make, the icing a bit painstaking at times and messy too, but loads of FUN all the way. I’ve collected SO MANY cookie cutters over the years that I had a tough time deciding which to use, and which not too! The cookies once iced were rather sweet, but the kids loved them, and so did their friends. We had a lot of sugar high kids for a few days, but HAPPY ones!
I used to ice cookies against orders many years ago, and this was a very popular cookie. Many years later, I still get the odd call requesting me to bake them for birthdays etc, but I gave it up because it took the creative joy out of my life. Often the stress would get to me, and how! I still remember making 50 dozen cookies for a baby shower, and 40 dozen for a bake sale at an embassy fund raiser. Thereafter I decided enough was enough, and decided I’d rather pursue baking as a passion rather than a commercial venture.
Thank you Mandy for the beautiful challenge, and thank you as always Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for hosting this fab kitchen!!
Basic Sugar Cookies:
Based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking
Makes Approximately 36x 10cm / 4″ Cookies
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g plain flour
200g Caster Sugar / Superfine Sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Method
• Cream together the butter, sugar and any flavourings you’re using. Beat until just becoming
creamy in texture.
• Tip: Don’t over mix otherwise you’ll incorporate too much air and the cookies will spread during
baking, losing their shape.
• Beat in the egg until well combined, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the sifted flour and mix on low until a non sticky dough forms.
• Knead into a ball and divide into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Roll out each portion between parchment paper to a thickness of about 5mm/1/5 inch (0.2 inch)
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 30mins.
• Once chilled, peel off parchment and place dough on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or a sharp knife.
• Arrange shapes on parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for another 30mins to an hour.
• Tip: It’s very important you chill them again otherwise they’ll spread while baking.
• Re-roll scraps and follow the above process until all scraps are used up.
• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan Assisted).
• Bake until golden around the edges, about 8-15mins depending on the size of the cookies.
• Leave to cool on cooling racks.
• Once completely cooled, decorate as desired.
• Tip: If wrapped in tinfoil/cling wrap or kept in airtight containers in a cool place, un-decorated
cookies can last up to a month.Royal Icing:
315g Icing / Confectioner’s / Powdered Sugar, unsifted
2 Large Egg Whites
2 tsp Lemon Juice
Directions
• Beat egg whites with lemon juice until combined.
• Tip: It’s important that the bowls/spoons/spatulas and beaters you use are thoroughly cleaned and
grease free.
• Sift the icing sugar to remove lumps and add it to the egg whites.
• Tip: I’ve listed 2 amounts of icing sugar, the lesser amount is good for a flooding consistency, and the larger amount is for outlining, but you can add even more for a much thicker consistency good for writing. If you add too much icing sugar or would like to make a thinner consistency, add very small amounts of water, a few drops at a time, until you reach the consistency you need.
• Beat on low until combined and smooth.
• Use immediately or keep in an airtight container.
• Tip: Royal Icing starts to harden as soon as it’s in contact with air so make sure to cover containers with plastic wrap while not in use.Decorating Your Cookies: Flooding
“Flooding” a cookie is a technique used when covering a cookie with Royal Icing.
1. You outline the area you want to flood which helps create a dam
2. Then fill or flood inside the area you’ve outlined
Decorating Your Cookies: Royal Icing
The most important thing when it comes to decorating with Royal Icing is the consistency.
There are two ways of flooding your cookies. Some like to do the outline with a thicker icing and then flood with a thinner icing. Some like to use the same icing to do both which saves time and you don’t have to have two different piping bags for each colour you’re using.
The Same Consistency Method
Consistency:
• Mix your royal icing according to the recipe/instructions
• Drag a knife through the surface of the Royal Icing and count to 10
• If the surface becomes smooth between 5 & 10 seconds, the icing is at the correct consistency
• Tip: If your icing is too thick, thin it by adding a few drops of water. Mix, do the 10 second test, then if it’s still too thick, add a few more drops of water, repeat, etc.
• Tip: To thicken your icing, add small amounts of icing sugar until thick enough for the 10 second test
Two Different Consistencies Method
Consistency:
• Mix your royal icing according to the recipe/instructions.
• Separate into 2 different bowls, one lot of icing for outlining, the other for flooding.
• For the outlining icing, drag a knife through the surface of the Royal Icing.
• If the surface becomes smooth at around 10 seconds, the icing is at the correct consistency.
• Tip: If your icing is too thick, thin it by adding a few drops of water. Mix, count to 10 seconds, then if it’s still too thick, add a few more drops of water, repeat, etc.
• Tip: To thicken your icing, add small amounts of icing sugar until thick enough for the 10 second test.
• For the flooding/filling icing, drag a knife through the surface of the Royal Icing.
• If the surface becomes smooth at around 3-4 seconds, the icing is at the correct consistency.
• Tip: If your icing is too thick, thin it by adding a few drops of water. Mix, count to 3-4 seconds, then if it’s still too thick, add a few more drops of water, repeat, etc.
• Tip: To thicken your icing, add small amounts of icing sugar until thick enough for the 3-4 second test.
Packaging and Storing
• Once fully decorated, allow cookies to dry for 24 hours in a cool and dry area.
• Stack cookies in an airtight container, from largest cookies at the bottom, to smallest and more intricate at the top, with parchment or wax free paper in between the layers.
• Store in a cool and dry area with the container’s lid firmly sealed.
• Will last for about a month if stored this way.
Do stop by HERE and take a look at the beautiful cookies the talented Daring Bakers have decorated this month.
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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India 
