Monday, February 14, 2011

Glacé Icing and Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

I admit, I love multi-use recipes that actually work! This sugar cookie recipe is what I think of as a multi-use recipe. The original recipe is for yummy sugar cookies that you just roll out, cut into a circle and then just sprinkle with nutmeg and sugar. However, I have found that it also works great to roll, cut shapes and decorate with frosting. They are soft, nummy and still have enough substance to withstand the frosting process. I have also used this recipe for dough for fresh fruit pizza. The most recent adventure with this sugar cookie recipe is Glacé frosting on top.

Without further ado, here is the recipe!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter (I didn't say they were healthy)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 1/2 cups flour (give or take a little to get the right consistency)

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Roll on to floured surface (I actually spray my kitchen counter with pam and then roll out instead of using flour. I found it sticks less which really helps after you have done shape cutouts and are getting ready to move them to the pan.) Cut with large round cutter to 2-2 3/4inch diameter (or any shape and any size, you may just have to adjust the baking time by a couple minutes either way depending on the size.) Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart (actually this is kind of important because these cookies do expand quite a bit.) At this point, if you are going to frost them, then bake at 350 degrees for 14-17 minutes until VERY lightly browned. If you are not going to frost, then sprinkle with nutmeg and sugar, then bake. Cookies should be large, soft, and thick.

I got the recipe and idea for this type of frosting from this website. Here is my condensed version!

Glacé Frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar
approximately 6 tbsp whole milk
6 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Add in corn syrup and vanilla (or you could use almond extract) and mix well. Frosting should be runny at this point. Separate frosting out into smaller bowls in order to make different colors. Also separate out one bowl to make borders using piping. In the bowl of frosting that you separated to make borders, add a bunch (I think of this part as trial and error) of powdered sugar to make a THICK frosting. I just used white to do my borders but you could also color this. Place border frosting in piping bag and make small border around cookie. Once borders have been placed wait a few minutes so it starts to harden a little.
Then take the colored glacé or glaze-like frosting and "flood" centers of cookies. The borders act like a dam. Like any dam though if you do overfill then the dam will obviously not hold all the filling.
Spread filling around cookie. I found using a baby spoon works really well to get into corners etc.
Add designs. This one I spread, while the filling was still wet, different colored glaze in spiral
and then if you peak in the upper half of this picture took a tooth pick and created a web like design by starting in the middle and dragging the tooth pick toward the edge. Repeat dragging process all around the shape starting in the middle each time. You can do a lot of designs etc. let your imagination run wild.

You can also pipe words etc on using thicker frosting, but you have to wait several hours until the filling is dry to Light touch.

Let frosting dry 12-24 hours before stacking. I just put in a cookie sheet and covered with aluminum foil while this was happening so that the cookies didn't dry out while the frosting was setting up. Dries to a shimmery, pretty frosted cookie and can be stacked or packaged without getting frosting all over the other cookies!

Side note: I apologize for the Shrek green cookies which may not look completely unappetizing to some, but it was my sons request to have green cookies.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Little Birdie Secrets

(Photo from Little Birdie Secrets)

This is a fun blog to go to for crafty ideas and tutorials. Check out this post for homemade boxes. Fun idea for Valentine's.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Join Gifts to Grow now and get 100 Free Points.

From knowing exactly when they want teddy to comforting them at 3am, the list of love is endless. Gifts to Grow gives parents the rewards they deserve, simply by buying Pampers diapers and wipes. Join now and get 100 Free Points.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The brownie recipe I have been looking for my entire married life!

Supernatural Brownies
From Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers, by Nick Malgieri.

Makes about twenty-four 2-inch-square brownies

Though the name sounds an exaggeration, you’ll agree that these brownies are absolutely out of this world.

•16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
•8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
•4 large eggs
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 cup granulated sugar
•1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1 cup all-purpose flour
One 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment or foil

1. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of water. Stir occasionally until melted.

3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in flour.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm. Cool in pan on a rack. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature or refrigerated until next day.

5. To cut brownies, unmold onto a cutting board, remove paper, and replace with another cutting board. Turn cake right side up and trim away edges. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares.

Serving: Serve the brownies on their own or with ice cream and hot fudge sauce.

Storage: The best way to store brownies is to wrap them individually and keep them at room temperature in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover. Or freeze them.

Note: If you have a 12 x 18-inch commercial half-sheet pan, you may double this recipe easily.

Frosting:

1 8 oz. block cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup butter (softened)
At least 1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP half and half

Mix first two ingredients together and then add the rest. Keep adding powdered sugar until you have your desired consistency. I frost my brownies so they have about 1/4 inch of frosting. Oh yummy!