Please share with me your advice on the best way to monogram cookies with royal icing. I have 2 orders requesting this, and I've never done these before! My handwriting is not the greatest - so any way to "cheat"? Is it best to use thinned down icing? Help! TIA
It would be best to use an icing that gets firm. Royal icing is excellent for this.
You can print the monogram from you computer, using a thick font. Then you can transfer it with piping gel, or the pin prick method.
You could also cut the monogram out and make a stencil-time consuming but quite effecive.
Once you have the monogram on the cookie, trace it with the icing.
I used fun foam to make a stencil and it worked great. I first printed the monogram on my computer using a really fun font in the right size to fit the cookie. Then I put the printout on top of the fun foam and used an exacto knife to cut it out. I was making heart shaped cookies iced with white royal icing. Once the icing was really dry, I placed the stencil over the cookie - making sure I centered it nicely. Then I used the spray color from Wilton and sprayed over the stencil. Lift off the stencil and there was a perfect monogram - (make sure there is enough of the fun foam to cover the entire cookie so you only spray the stencil). I imagine an airbrush would work perfectly as well. I practiced on paper towels first just to make sure. Anyway...just an idea.
I've also used the fun foam to cut out stripes then used this to spray a gingham pattern on a baby blanket cake. Lay the stripes stencil one way and spray. Lift up and place the other way and spray - a perfect gingham pattern really easily.
You can also make your own 'stamp' by tracing over a reverse image of your monogram with glue or royal icing. When it's dry, just lightly color it with the same color you'll be piping with (I like to use edible marker for this), stamp it on your cookie and trace over. If you make royal icing stamps, you'll want to make a few to allow for crumbling from repeated use.
Edited to add - I just saw that you need to do white on white. Just color your stamp with the lightest color you'll be able to see - OR - stamp an impression with no color into the icing before it completely sets up.
I used fun foam to make a stencil and it worked great. I first printed the monogram on my computer using a really fun font in the right size to fit the cookie. Then I put the printout on top of the fun foam and used an exacto knife to cut it out. I was making heart shaped cookies iced with white royal icing. Once the icing was really dry, I placed the stencil over the cookie - making sure I centered it nicely. Then I used the spray color from Wilton and sprayed over the stencil. Lift off the stencil and there was a perfect monogram - (make sure there is enough of the fun foam to cover the entire cookie so you only spray the stencil). I imagine an airbrush would work perfectly as well. I practiced on paper towels first just to make sure. Anyway...just an idea.
I've also used the fun foam to cut out stripes then used this to spray a gingham pattern on a baby blanket cake. Lay the stripes stencil one way and spray. Lift up and place the other way and spray - a perfect gingham pattern really easily.
You guys are sooo creative and helpful!! I love this tip! Good luck with your cookies CindyM - I'm sure they will be beautiful!!!
Sorry this post is so late, I just came across your question.
I took a Penny McConnell cookie class recently (of the Penny's Cookie recipe fame). She does a ton of monograms. She suggests putting together a monogram in a font you like and taking it to a trophy store. Apparently many of these stores will cut a stencil for you.
She makes her RI slightly thickened and uses a palette knife type spatula to swipe on the icing over the stencil. Probably took her 10 seconds to do a cookie.
I've tried it, and it's all in the practice. Once you get the hang of it, it's much faster than RI piping.
My sister lives in Richardson, Texas (north suburb of Dallas) and Penny
is actually going to be doing a cookie class at Cake Carousel in Richardson
sometime in the very near future! (Maybe this month) You could call them
to see when her class is being offered.
I took my class with Penny at Cake Carousel (in Richardson, TX) in Dec last year. She's doing another demo this year the first Saturday of December from 10 - 12:30. Even though it's a demo, it's well worth the price. She answers all questions and shows every step thoroughly.
Cake Carousel's website is www.cakecarousel.com and they have their fall class list posted.
Kim
thanks for the info..... I took 2 hands on classes there. So I Guess a demo won't hurt.
You can buy tons of interesting stencils at "Culinary Stencils". I bought some at the ICES convention and loved how they worked on cakes. Then I figured they'd be easier on cookies, and I checked out their web site. When I get back from vacation, I plan to place an order!
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