Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Decorating Designer Cookies

When it comes to decorating designer cookies, there are three techniques that used; decorating the cookie with royal icing, color flow, and fondant. Using these three techniques will produce the professional designer cookie look that you are after.

The first technique is to use royal icing to decorate the cookie. Using a basic royal icing recipe, a decorating bag and tip, you can decorate your cookie any way you like. Most often tip #1 is used for fine outlining the cookie and decorating the details. You can also use other decorating tips like the star tips #16 and #21 to achieve zig zags and interesting borders.

Homemade Cookies

The second technique is the color flow method. This is a method made popular by Wilton Cake Decorating. To make the color flow icing, combine:

1 pound of confectioners sugar

2 tablespoons of Wilton Color Flow Mix

1/4 plus 1 teaspoon of water

Blend on low speed for seven minutes.

This color flow icing will be stiff. Using a small piping tip (#1 or #2) outline your cookie. After the outline of the cookie has "set" or hardened, you need to "flood" the cookie with the thinned icing. To thin your color flow icing, add a few drops of water at a time until it is a thinner consistency that will run.

Now take your thinned icing and pipe it into the center area of your cookie. The icing will spread and fill in your cookie area. After the color flow has set, you can add more detail to your cookie with more of the thicker color flow icing or the royal icing.

The third technique for decorating designer cookies is using fondant. Many people are "afraid" to try fondant but it is actually very easy. You first need to tint the fondant the color that you need for your cookie and then roll it out to approximately 1/18" thick. Using the same cookie cutter that you used to cut out the cookie, cut the same shape out of your fondant.

Next, lightly moisten the back of the fondant shape with water - not too much or you will make the fondant "soggy". Lay the fondant shape on your cookie and lightly press down, shape, and smooth the edges with your fingers. After you have the fondant on the cookie, you can decorate it giving it details with the royal icing or the full-strength color flow icing.

Using these tips and techniques, you will be making professional designer cookies for your friends and family in no time!

Decorating Designer Cookies

To learn more about decorating designer cookies visit http://www.squidoo.com/DesignerCookies We have step-by-step instructions and videos to help you.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Cookies - perfect Wedding Favors

The selection of wedding favors for the modern day wedding is huge but for many brides there is only one selection and that is for edible wedding favors. Original favors consisted of sweet candy or almonds, but today edibles range from chocolate candies to handmade truffles and jars of preserves and honey.

Custom cookie favors have become a very beloved selection for most weddings, mainly because of the ease in which they can be designed to match any wedding style and theme. Institution cookies can also be decorated to match wedding colors and include personalization where possible. They also make a good substitute for name cards by having the guests names iced onto them as well.

Cookies

Giving Institution cookies as wedding favors can be expensive as they can range in price from upwards, each. You don't need to spend much on containers them though, with a uncomplicated clear cellophane bag tied with ribbon being the preferred selection for many brides.

You don't have to give Institution made cookies though. Sometimes development your own at home makes for a much great type of favor than Institution made versions. Cookies are very easy to make and you can even buy kits from supermarkets and cake baking websites which make them even easier. They don't have to be fancy iced versions either.

Consider development up jumbo sized cookies to give singularly or make mini cookies and give a wee goodie bag containing some as your wedding favors. Experiment with flavors and ingredients too to originate cookies that will wow your guests and which go beyond the ordinary vanilla shortbread versions that so many Institution cookies are made with.

Icing cookies doesn't need to be difficult either. Fondant icing can be rolled, molded and shaped so rolling it out and using the same cutter you used to cut your cookies with will give you the perfect shaped icing to go on top. Use a piping bag and some melted fondant icing to pipe on extra decorations and words.

You could also give cookies in increasing to other favors as well. Think about adding a merge of cookies to some tea leaves and a nice cup or infuser. Make some rich double chocolate cookies and include them with a small bottle of liquor or Irish coffee mix or make some mint flavored cookies and give with some gourmet coffee.

You can also make cookies which will fit with the season in which you wedding day falls. For instance, make honey cookies for a spring or summer wedding, spiced apple for fall and gingerbread or cinnamon cookies for winter. Make up festive cookies for a Christmas wedding and make egg shaped versions for an Easter wedding.

Cookies are beloved selection because of their versatility, but you needn't be put off by the price of Institution made cookies from favor market and bakers. Have a go at development your own, it makes them more unique and your guests will appreciate the exertion you have gone to on their behalf.

Cookies - perfect Wedding Favors