Less than two weeks until Santa makes a visit to our home, but that’s only if Jim and I have been good and not naughty. I know we have been exceptionally good this past year so we are expecting a full Santa sack at our home. It’s a good thing we don’t have a chimney: If we did he would not be able to fit himself or the huge sack of presents in that chimney.
I don’t doubt that he will be at our house because it has always been our custom to leave cookies and hot chocolate for the jolly old guy. The tradition will continue this year as well. I just finished baking a batch of sugar cookies and I am now getting ready to ice them with wonderfully sweet and velvety royal icing. It seems most people are squeamish when it comes to decorating sugar cookies with royal icing. Well, I am here to make it easy for you (that’s the point of this blog). Once you make sugar cookies and ice these delicious delights you will always find a holiday, or reason, to make Decorated Sugar Cookies.
Sugar Cookies
2 Large Egg Yolks
3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 ½ Sticks (10 Oz.) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1 inch pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (325 degrees F if using a convection oven.)
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cream. In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and beat at low speed until the mixture resembles crumbs, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream-egg mixture in a slow steady stream, beating at low speed until the ingredients are just combined. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, shape into disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a ¼ inch thickness (thickness is important) and cut out shapes. Place on the parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until pale golden (13 to 14 minutes if using a convection oven.) Cool on the trays.
When cookies are completely cooled, frost them with Royal Icing. Let cookies sit overnight uncovered. This gives the icing time to set. Cookies can be stored in tins for a long time, 3 to 4 weeks.
Royal Icing
5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 Box (1Lb.) Confectioners Sugar (10X)
Place Meringue Powder and scant 1/2 Cup water in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low speed until blended. Add Confectioners Sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes, scraping down sides periodically. At this point you can add more liquid a drop at a time to make the icing perfect for icing cookies. Add food coloring and mix until well blended.
To ice the cookies use the flooding technique by outlining the cookie with the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain pastry tip and then flood the cookie. Do not outline all of the cookies first because the outline will harden and you will not be able to blend the flooding.
Hints and Tips: You can purchase Meringue Powder at a baking supply store or Williams-Sonoma. I have purchased Meringue Powder from both Williams-Sonoma in the store and CK Products on line. http://www.CKproducts.com
To color the icing, divide it into smaller containers and use food color to achieve the colors you would like. I use food color paste which you can buy at a baking supply store such as CK Products, Williams-Sonoma or Michael’s Craft Store. I don’t like the liquid type of food color you can easily get at the grocery store because it will change the consistency of the icing: It actually makes the icing too thin to work with. The paste is much better. Keep the icing covered with a lid or plastic wrap when not in use. It hardens faster than you think.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me either by leaving a comment on the blog or by e-mailing me at camille@camillecooksforyou.com
Later this week I am going to write a blog about Prime Rib, the quintessential holiday main course. I’ll let you know when it’s done.
Happy Holidays to all!!!! Enjoy the days before Christmas. For me, they are the most fun time of the holiday.