Don't Count Your Cookies Before...

I wanted a special Valentine's Day post for you, something to make you feel special, something pretty and fun.  So, my daughter and I made some heart-shaped cookies with royal icing. 

We rolled out the cookie dough, and used heart-shaped cookie cutters, then baked them in the oven on parchment paper so they wouldn't stick.

We whipped up some purple and pink icing royal icing to decorate them, and added sprinkles and dragees.  They're not perfect, but we decided on fun versus perfection.

I explained that the cookies were for us to enjoy, but also I wanted to get some photos for the blog.  Well I couldn't take the photos right away because it was late and dark. The next day, was another gloomy day, so again, I couldn't take photos. Finally I had a glorious sunny day; the sun was streaming into my dining room. I was ready to take the photos.  I thought of the photo I wanted to take, a big pile of luscious cookies on a ginormous platter.

I opened the box of cookies, and well... I was horrifed by what I found.  Actually I was horrified by what I didn't find; most of the cookies were gone, *poof* into thin air.  After a little investigating, I found they had not going into "thin air" but into certain tummies.  So that brings me to the lesson I learned this week. 

Don't count your cookies until you take your photos.   If you missed it, you can see my Valentine's Day buffet table, here.   


Here's the recipe.  (You might want to double the recipe... just in case.)


SUGAR COOKIES
 1 1/2 cups butter, softened

 2 cups white sugar

 4 eggs

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 5 cups all-purpose flour

 2 teaspoons baking powder

 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

(If you really want the cookie to hold their shape use Crisco instead of butter. I just really prefer using butter for health reasons.)

ROYAL ICING

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Food coloring (optional)

Directions

• Combine egg whites (at room temperature  and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. 
• Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Add almond         e­xtract. Beat 5 to 7 minutes. 
• Color icing with food coloring. if desired. (Icing dries very quickly; keep covered at all times with plastic wrap.) Yield: about 2 cups.

Note: Royal Icing dries very hard and is crunchy like candy.  

Here's a list of the parties that I visit on a regular basis.  I might have shared this link at any number of these.