Mir's Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups (four sticks) of sweet cream salted butter
3 cups of Confectioner's Sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Almond extract
5.5 cups All-purpose flour
3.5 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt

Method:
Cream together softened butter and confectioner's sugar.  Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring.  I use emulsions, but extract also works well.  Add that to the butter sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture.  I can tell the dough is ready whit it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.  When I touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to my fingers

Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary.  Then, cut and bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes.  This version makes 4-5 dozen

Notes:
This dough DOES not need to be refrigerated before rolling it out, that is the best part.  It does need to rest a little after mixing, it will firm up a little bit after a minute or two.  Decorate the cookies the next day, the surface seems to be prettier the next day.


Royal Icing Flowers (Step one of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice
5 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 tsp water (approximate)

Method:
Mix egg whites and lemon juice.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between.  add almond extract and whip.  Add water if needed.  Frosting needs to pretty thick to hold the structure of the piped flower.  Use a piping bag and flower tip and pipe away.  Let dry and store in ziplock bags.

Royal Icing Piped Borders (Step two of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Almond extract
5 - 5.5 cups of Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp water

Method:
Mix egg whites and lemon juice.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between.  add almond extract and whip.  Add water if needed.  Use this frosting to pipe borders prior to flooding and then also after flooded cookies are completely dry to add accents.

Royal Icing Flooding (Step 3 of iced cookies)

Ingredients:
6 egg whites
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp of Almond Extract
8 cups of Powdered Sugar

Mix together on low.  Use to flood piped cookies.  Let dry for 24 hours on counter top before adding accents and additional piping.  Use piping icing to glue flowers on the cookies.

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