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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Mouse's Bakery Frosting

Mouse's Bakery Frosting

Ingredients:
2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar (no generic)
2 sticks Danish brand butter
1 cup of crisco
3.5 tsp Watkins Vanilla (Found at Walmart & Winco)
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (40% preferred)
Dash of Salt

Method:
Cut butter into tablespoons and add to mixer.  Add 1 cup of shortening.  Beat together until smooth.  Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until creamy.  Add 1/4 chilled heavy cream and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Add remaining powdered sugar about a cup at a time.  Beat until smooth.  If you need to add extra cream, only add 1-2 Tbs. at a time.  Too much and your frosting will loose its structure.  Add a dash of salt with the last couple cups of powdered sugar.  Beat on med/high for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.

Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:
8 oz. mini marshmallows
2 Tbs. water
4 cups powdered sugar
Food coloring (optional)

Method:
Place marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bow.  Microwave on high for 1 minute, until marshmallows are puffy and expanded.

Stir marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth.  If some unmelted marshmallows remain, return to microwave for 30-45 more seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is free from lumps.

If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring at this point and stir until incorporated.

Add powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula.  Stir until sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.

Scrape the marshmallow sugar mixture out on to powdered sugar sprinkled surface.  It will be sticky at first, totally ok.

Dust hands with powdered sugar and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar in the marshmallow with your hands.  Continue to knead until fondant smooths out and loses its stickiness.  Add more sugar if necessary.  Make into a ball, wrap in Saran Wrap and let rest for a 1/2 hour on counter.

Mouse's Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 Cup Crisco

1 Cup real Butter (not cold but also not at room temperature)

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 lbs. Powdered Sugar

1/2 - 3/4 cup COLD heavy whipping cream

Method:

In large mixing bowl beat butter and crisco until creamy and smooth (about 10 minutes).  Add 1 lb. powdered sugar on low speed and blend, increase speed to medium and beat until light.  Add vanilla.  Add 1/2 cup cold cream and beat to blend.  Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Add remaining cream.  Beat 5 minutes and switch to whisk attachment and beat until light (10-15 minutes)

Mouse is an amazing baker and actually owned her own bakery.  I am grateful she was willing to share some of her secrets with me.

Frosting

This is a recipe for home made frosting. Works great on cakes, cupcakes and Paije's sugar cookie recipe. Enjoy!

32 oz. pckg. Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup of shortening (not butter flavored)
1/2 cup butter/margerine
1/2 cup of milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt


Method:
Throw all the wet stuff in first and add powdered sugar slowly.

Paije's Pink Sugar Cookies

Cookie
1 cup of butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
4.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add sour cream and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Roll on floured surface 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Use a a round cookie cutter and place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 14-17 minutes.

Frosting
32oz. package powdered sugar
3/4 cup shortening (not butter flavor)
1/2 cup butter/margerine
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Throw all the wet stuff in first and slowly add powdered sugar.

Miranda's Fancy Cupcake Frosting

1 stick butter
8oz cream cheese
1/2 stick of crisco
2 tsp. vanilla
32oz powdered sugar (may need more)
1/4 cup whipping cream


Cream butter, crisco and cream cheese. Add vanilla and whip. Add powdered sugar slowly. Add whipping cream and mix until a good consistency.

Royal Icing

2 large egg whites or more to thin icing
4 cups of sifted powdered sugar or more to thicken icing
Juice of one lemon
3 drops of glycerin

Beat egg whites until stiff (not dry). Add sugar, glycerin and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute more. If it's too thin add more sugar, if it's too thick add more egg whites.