for cookies?

I have been reading and reading. (not getting any house work done) LOL and this is my day off.

Well my question is I am interessted in learning how to make those beautilful cookies you all make,but I am so confuesed as to what to put on the top. I am going to try and teach myself how to do all of this. I am not new to cooking or baking.

I have read so much my head is swimming.

love love this site


Thanks for any help.

Allison

You can do either one, but what kind of cookies are you trying to do? I teach a cookie decorating class once a month at Gilda's Club of Metro Detroit and in that class we use a thinned out royal icing (similar to Toba's Glace icing) to outline and flood the cookie. That can then either be dried and piped on top or flocked with sugar (which is what we do.) When they dry, they dry hard but are great for dunking in coffee! A fondant or rolled buttercream will give you a surface to pipe over but won't dry as hard -- it will be firm though. Sometimes we use fondant as accents -- the olive on the martini cookie, the fingernails on the hand cookies, etc. My suggestion is that if you are looking at Toba's cookie book, practice the flooding techniques with the toothpick and the glace icing. Play with that and get used to it. Then make a few of those cookies maybe in heart shapes and take your fondant and use that for accents -- maybe make the cameo she suggests (or any other silicone mold you may have.) Finally, make a batch of cookies and cover them with the fondant and let that dry and pipe on top of that. The trick is to make a batch of whatever you want to learn and play, play, play!!! Remember, it's sugar, it's FUN!!!

Thanks for the answer.

I used the nfsc recipe.

I just make a batch of rolled buttercream. I will give that a try and my next batch try the icing.

I think I might do better with the rolled buttercream.


Thanks

Allison

ok so I made the nfsc, great recipe. I made my first ever batch of rolled buttercream, tinted it pink. I have never ever done any cookie dectorating. I uploaded my picture, please be kind, LOL I need A LOT of practice. I am going to looking into taking some classes.


Thanks
Allison

I can't see it!! It's just a little box with a red X...

They look good, are you unhappy with the crackling? I don't know what causes it, but there are those here who can tell you - and will. You can use the crackling to your advantage when you want to make leather-look purses and such.
I just started decorating cookies too, I've been using the glace (it dries shiney) and peanut butter buttercream.

IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/mjjandz/Picture058.jpg[/IMG][/img]

I see them now on the home page. Very nice!! You did a great job! I wouldn't have thought those were your first decorated cookies!

you are so kind.

Thank you

Allison

I think they are really cute and show effort and your eye for trying different designs. I made some this weekend too for first time. They're in my pics too. I like the rolled buttercream and the chocolate coated ones. I am going to try toba's recipe next. Cookies are fun, a little less stressful than cakes for me. But I guess that's because no one around here would pay over 1.00 for cookies so I won't be making them for orders for sure! Cheapos are maddening!

thanks for your kind words. I thought I would like to try cakes,but I think cookies might be eaiser to start with. I will work up to cakes soon. I am thinking of taking a wilton course. I am going to check your pics out now. I am sure they are very nice.


Just checked your pics. out. very nice. I love the busy bee cake.
Allison

Thanks, I am by no means a pro. I just started decorating in oct. So I am a newbie to the max, but addicted none the less!

I can totally see this being very addictive. I have been talking about taking classes for ever. I finally decided to take the plunge and I can not wait till the week end to do. I am a teacher and have no time during the week.

I've taken wilton 1 & 2 now I have plans to take wilton 3 and their gumpaste flowers class too. I am so anxious to get there I may be there before the teacher!

I will have to wait until next month to take a course. Right now the craft store is on course 2. So I will have to wait.

I am enjoying just practicing,so is my family. LOL

yeah, I have to wait till next month for my 3rd class to start and march before I can start gumpaste flower course. I just have to practise on my own for now. But it is fun!!!!

IMO, rolled buttercream looks greasy and gross. Almost everything I've seen decorated in it, my first thought is, "Iiiiiiick!". I've never worked with it so I can't tell you how it tastes or holds up, however, I always use Toba's icing and have never, ever heard a complaint.

My friend asked if I drugged my cookies, because he is now addicted to them .

you are right, it is a bit greasey, does not taste bad. I am going to try the icing and maybe royal icing. I made some colored sugar today. I am going to try some purple flower cookies over the week end.

Allison

r/b/c is awesome tasting. If you add alittle more p.s after you've left it to set and while your using it it helps with the greasy feel. But not too much or it'll dry it out. I also found a tip on here about applying p/s after you cover your cake or whatever to cut down on the shine factor. I like to use it since most everyone I know doesn't like fondant. Not even the good ones like satin ice and chocopan.

Thanks for the great tips

Like I said before, I've never worked with rolled buttercream, but I guess that's because I think it looks so gross and greasy on nearly everything I've seen it used on. I am in love with the Glace Icing, but...if I ever change my mind about it, perhaps I'll give the rolled buttercream a try. Maybe. Antonia's icing is good too, but, the Glace icing is so much cheaper and quicker to make, as the modified royal one requires meringue powder and 10 minutes of mixing time. AKA...not fun if you have to make several batches and don't have a KA stand mixer!