I made Royal Icing at home last weekend. Well, if you are always online like me, and have all the opportunities to learn new and creative things on Youtube and other helpful sites, very well then -- Congratulations! You're teaching yourself new hobbies! :)
Anyhow, I made Cutout cookies last Saturday. Man! The way I watched it at http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/ it makes me feel that I can do it! Not that I have photographic memory, but I really love baking! So I guess, regardless of the difficulty, I can surely make one!
It wasn't that easy at first. Making the cookie dough wasn't that easy (thank you! lol) I didn't expect anything at all. Well, maybe I made some mistakes along the way that made the dough really stiff. It was hard for me to knead it on our glass table. But I was able to baked it and it tastes delicious by the way!
While I was creaming my butter, I thought it'll be easy, but as I added powdered sugar -- It was getting thicker and it's hard on my hand mixer to mix.. So I added water. Hmm, it went out really good. But those icing that sticks on my bowl wasn't good! ahaha...
But all in all, it was good for a first timer... :) Forgive me that I have no pictures because I made these around 6 a.m and ended around 12nn! ahahahahaaha... Yes I am a first timer! But I will take heart! I will try to do it this week again! :)
For all of you who would like to get the ingredients here they are! I got it form bakeat350.blogspot.com you can click on the link, or just print this page. Here it is:
Cookie Ingredients:
Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies
3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
2 sticks (salted) butter, cold
1 egg
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 c sugar (I use sugar that I've stored vanilla beans in)
2 sticks (salted) butter, cold
1 egg
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Here's How:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling
Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.
The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling
Don't forget to refrigerate it for an hour or more! - well I didn't do this but most bakers would!
Roll onto a floured surface and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets.
Here's for the ROYAL ICING!
Ingredients:
4 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp light corn syrup
few drops clear extract (optional)
scant 1/2 c. water
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp light corn syrup
few drops clear extract (optional)
How you can do it: Don't worry it's easy!
Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.
Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. (Do NOT skip the sifting!)
Add in the corn syrup and extract if desired.
Increase speed to med-high/high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until the icing is glossy and stiff peaks form.
Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.
This "stiff" icing is perfect for outlining and even for building gingerbread houses and monogramming. To fill in your cookies, add water to your icing a teaspoon at a time, stirring with a rubber spatula, until it is the consistency of syrup. This technique of filling a cookie with thinned icing is called "flooding."
So there you have it! :) Enjoy baking!
