Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Their cookies make me want to make cookies. Good cookies, too. Now, I know that sugar cookie skills don't happen over night. So I thought I had better get started if I wanted my cookies to be fabulous any time soon.
In pops a need for sugar cookies.
My dear friend's son recently had surgery and I thought I would make his day with some sweets.
Well, technically I left a facebook comment asking my friends for a reason to bake cookies. But who's keeping track of these minor details?
I didn't know much about my friend's son, other than his name and his age. I did some research, combing through my friend's facebook photos. Low and behold, I come across a picture of her son wearing a Star Wars shirt. So I went with it.
Let's hope he's still into Star Wars.
(Crossing Fingers)
I still have a long way to go. I haven't mastered outlining the cookie with royal icing yet. It seems simple enough, yet every time I tried tracing the cookie, my hand didn't make a nice circle.
One lesson I learned this time is to take my time next time. By the time I got to writing Noah, my hand was shot. I could barely write a straight line.
Gold/Yellow Star Wars Logo
Black Star Wars Logo
I'm still working out the spill and fill method too.
But that's what I got. I think Noah will be satisfied, and that's the only one who matters.
I'll post the royal icing recipe soon. It's definitely a keeper.
Now this is where it's AT!I stumbled across these at my mother-in-law's over the Christmas holiday. They are the best sugar cookies ever.
Ever.
They are soft and chewy and buttery and have that melt-in-your-mouth greatness that ever cookie should have!
I am thrilled to finally have a good sugar cookie recipe. And, the best part, is that I've learned how to frost cookies! You can too! It's really easy once you know what the trick is! I promise!
Quick tutorial on frosting:
1. Make said cookie recipe below.
2. Let cookies cool completely.
3. Make frosting recipe. Shhh.....don't tell....you can even use frosting from a can. Yes, I give you permission. I first learned how to frost cookies with frosting from the store. And let's face it. It's pretty darn good anyway. Not great, but darn good.
4. Put frosting into a piping bag with a small tip.
5. Outline the cookie with frosting.
6. Now pour a little corn syrup into the frosting. The goal here is to make the frosting thinner.
7. Once it is at a pouring consistency, pour, or flood, the frosting in the middle of the cookie, inside the outline.
8. Use a spatula to spread it around in a circular pattern.
9. Let the frosting set for a couple hours before stacking.
10. Eat them!
I took these to a baby shower for a friend of mine. I didn't try any of the cookies until I was leaving. They were sooo good that I ate three more on the way home!
Now, I'm not saying this is the best way possible or will give you the best results ever. However, I will tell you that this works for me right now at my ability level. As I get better and learn new techniques, I will pass them on to you! Until then...get bakin'!
Sugar Cookies
3 c Flour
*1 t Baking Soda (*Do not use soda if you want well defined shapes.)
1/2 c Shortening
1 t Salt
1/2 c Butter, room temperature
Combine these ingredients in a bowl; mix well and set aside.
2 eggs
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
1/2 t Almond Extract
*1 1/2 c Sugar (*a little less than)
Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until dough if formed.
Divide the dough evenly into about 5 or 6 pieces. Roll the dough into balls, and then into disk-like shapes. {By flattening the balls in to disk-like shapes, it will be easier to roll the dough later.} Wrap the disks in saran wrap. Refrigerate until dough is hard, about 3 hours, or overnight.
Once the dough is ready, take out one disk at a time and place it on a well floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, flatten the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. {You can always make them thinner, but they won't be as sturdy.}
Choose your cookie cutter and begin cutting out shapes. {Tip #1: Before cutting any cookies out, figure out the best possible arrangement to get the most out of your dough. Just lightly press down on the cookie cutter to see an outline. Do this to find the best arrangement. Tip #2: Getting the cookie from the counter to the tray can be tricky. As I cut my cookies, I use the cutter itself to pick up the cookies. After the cutter has gone completely through the dough I pull up while slightly squeezing the cookie cutter. 9 times out of 10, I am able to use the cookie cutter to move the cookie.}
Place the cookie sheet with cookies in to the freezer for about 10 minutes. This step helps the cookies retain their shape.
Bake the cookies at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Cool cookies on a cooling rack.
Now this is where it's AT! I stumbled across these at my mother-in-law's over the Christmas holiday. They were the best sugar cookies I've ever had.
Ever.
I am thrilled to finally have a good sugar cookie recipe. And, the best part, is that I've learned how to frost cookies! You can too! It's really easy once you know what the trick is! I promise!
Quick tutorial on frosting:
1. Make said cookie recipe below.
2. Let cookies cool completely.
3. Make frosting recipe. Shhh.....don't tell....you can even use frosting from a can. Yes, I give you permission. I first learned how to frost cookies with frosting from the store. And let's face it. It's pretty darn good anyway. Not great, but darn good.
4. Put frosting into a piping bag with a small tip.
5. Outline the cookie with frosting.
6. Now pour a little corn syrup into the frosting. The goal here is to make the frosting thinner.
7. Once it is at a pouring consistency, pour, or flood, the frosting in the middle of the cookie, inside the outline.
8. Use a spatula to spread it around in a circular pattern.
9. Let the frosting set for a couple hours before stacking.
10. Eat them!
I took these to a baby shower for a friend of mine. I didn't try any of the cookies until I was leaving. They were sooo good that I ate three more on the way home!
Now, I'm not saying this is the best way possible or will give you the best results ever. However, I will tell you that this works for me right now at my ability level. As I get better and learn new techniques, I will pass them on to you! Until then...get bakin'!
Sugar Cookies
3 c Flour
*1 t Baking Soda (*Do not use soda if you want well defined shapes.)
1/2 c Shortening
1 t Salt
1/2 c Butter, room temperature
Combine these ingredients in a bowl; mix well and set aside.
2 eggs
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
1/2 t Almond Extract
*1 1/2 c Sugar (*a little less than)
Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Stir until dough if formed.
Divide the dough evenly into about 5 or 6 pieces. Roll the dough into balls, and then into disk-like shapes. {By flattening the balls in to disk-like shapes, it will be easier to roll the dough later.} Wrap the disks in saran wrap. Refrigerate until dough is hard, about 3 hours, or overnight.
Once the dough is ready, take out one disk at a time and place it on a well floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, flatten the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. {You can always make them thinner, but they won't be as sturdy.}
Choose your cookie cutter and begin cutting out shapes. {Tip #1: Before cutting any cookies out, figure out the best possible arrangement to get the most out of your dough. Just lightly press down on the cookie cutter to see an outline. Do this to find the best arrangement. Tip #2: Getting the cookie from the counter to the tray can be tricky. As I cut my cookies, I use the cutter itself to pick up the cookies. After the cutter has gone completely through the dough I pull up while slightly squeezing the cookie cutter. 9 times out of 10, I am able to use the cookie cutter to move the cookie.}
Place the cookie sheet with cookies in to the freezer for about 10 minutes. This step helps the cookies retain their shape.
Bake the cookies at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Cool cookies on a cooling rack.
The idea was a total FLOP. And I'll tell you why.
1.) I don't know if I just can't find a great sugar cookie recipe
OR
I simply do not enjoy sugar cookies; therefore, all the recipes I've tried-and when I say all, I mean two-are not that great.
2.) I have a long way to go in the art of decorating.
I made my first batch of cookies from a recipe in Good Housekeeping. They turned out kinda flour-tasting and were a bit too hard. The second batch was from Our Best Bites--->a new blog I have recently discovered. You should totally check it out. But not right now...because, well, you need to finish reading my blog...then you should check 'em out. Here's the link http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/sugar-cookies.html. These cookies tasted much better by themselves; however, when I added the frosting, the cookies were a bit too soft.
This is starting to sound like Goldilocks. I need a cookie that is not too hard, not too soft, but juuuuuuuust right.
Anyways, I got way tired of making sugar cookies and wanted them out of my house. I rallied my small group and they answered the call. I made royal icing and let them decorate the cookies.
Here are some of the results:
Here is my first attempt at royal frosting. See that bowl in the bottom left hand corner. Yeah. That one. The ugly one. That was supposed to be purple. There more I tried to fix it, the more grey it became. Boo on my purple icing intentions.
The extras=)
Courtney and Johanna
Chris' cookies
Austin
And my cookies-I had absolutely no patience left. I think you can tell.
Check both these out in more detail at
http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/category/christmas-ideas/
Yet another cool web site I recently found!
I want these cookies and this cookbook!
If anyone has amazing sugar cookie recipes or amazing decorating skills, come teach me!
For now,
The baker who can't bake sugar cookies
These french cookies are an easy treat that will leave your family and friends thinking you spent hours on them. They are great with coffee or tea. Mmmmm.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Length of Time: 2 hours; 20 minutes prep, 1 hour to cool the rolled pastry before cutting individual cookies, 40 minutes baking
Taste: The batch I made was heavy on rosemary and light on the lemon. I will make them again using a little less rosemary and a little more lemon. I already adjusted the recipe for my personal taste. Feel free to add and subtract as you see fit! My favorite version of these is cinnamon sugar. See variations below.
(Click on the recipe to see it larger.)
Original Palmiers-Simply omit the lemon and rosemary
Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers- Mmmm, my favorite! Just add cinnamon to the sugar.
Savory Palmiers- Try spreading the puff pastry with garlic, parmesan, and pesto.
The possibilities are endless!
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About Kristin
-
Currently I am a student at UTSA studying Elementary Education. I am married to the man of my dreams, Aaron, and have a beautiful step daughter, Adrianna. I love photography, baking, cooking, reading, and watching college football. My dream: to own a bakery some day=) Contact me at kkunoff@yahoo.com!
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