Baking Classics
The Technique
Easter Egg Cookies
Celebrate glorious occasions by baking a batch of handcrafted Easter Egg Cookies. Although they make a lovely dessert offering, the cookies can be wrapped in cellophane & tucked into Easter baskets or used to decorate each place setting. The recipe begins with a lemon-kissed vanilla shortbread cookie that is certainly delicious on its’ own but when dipped in Tiffany Blue Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze & decorated with a simple dot & line design using royal icing, they become magical. Three sizes of oval cutters from a set add extra charm to the collection. Learn how to make a stunning spring inspired cookie with a few of my valuable pointers.
Easter Egg Cookies
makes 3 dozen
Vanilla Shortbread serves as the foundation for these beautiful spring cookies. Use the recipe throughout the year to make any of your favorite celebratory cookie shapes.
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
A pinch of kosher salt
2 Tbsp buttermilk
Tiffany Blue Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze
Tiffany Blue Royal Icing
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cream the sugar & the butter with an electric stand mixer on Medium speed until creamy. Stop the mixer occasionally & scrape down the bowl sides with a rubber spatula. Blend in the the lemon juice & the vanilla. Add the flour & the salt. Blend on Low speed & drizzle in the buttermilk. Mix just until the dough comes together. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 12 {3 1/2-inch}, 12 {2 1/4-inch} & 12 {1 3/4-inch} egg shapes with oval cutters. Place on parchment paper-lined half sheet pans. Repeat until all of the dough is cut. Expect a soft dough that can be used right away. Chill the dough briefly if it becomes too warm. Bake the filled pans, in batches, on the center rack for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown on the cookie bottoms. The tops should be pale in color. Cool completely on the pans, about 30 minutes.
Prepare the Tiffany Blue Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze as directed. Dip the cookies in the glaze & gently swipe over the lip of the bowl in order to remove the excess. Place the cookies on parchment paper & let stand until the glaze sets, about 1 hour. Prepare the Tiffany Blue Royal Icing as directed. Decorate the cookies as desired. Let stand until the icing sets, about 1 hour.
Tiffany Blue Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze
makes about 1 cup
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cornflower blue & leaf green food coloring paste
White food coloring
Whisk together the powdered sugar, the buttermilk & the vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Tint with the food coloring until the desired shade is achieved. Use as directed.
Tiffany Blue Royal Icing
makes about 1/3 cup
Meringue powder gives Royal Icing the body to hold shape when piped onto cookies. Look to it as an edible glue that has the strength to secure candies in place as well.
11 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp meringue powder
1 Tbsp hot water
Cornflower blue & leaf green food coloring paste
White food coloring
Whisk together the powdered sugar, the meringue powder & the water in a small bowl. Tint with food coloring until the desired shade is achieved. Add a smidgen of additional powdered sugar or a droplet of water, if necessary, to thicken or thin the icing for the desired piping consistency. It should have a slightly whipped consistency in order to hold shape once piped. Place the icing in a piping bag fit with a No. 1 tip. Use as directed.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Decorate Easter Egg Cookies
Shortbread is a straightforward cookie to prepare & make a solid foundation for these festive cookies that children will love. If you’re in need for a few pointers in regards to preparing & baking the dough, look to Baking Classics: Lemon Shortbread. Once they have been glazed & allowed to dry, the real fun begins. Try my simple dot & line pattern or create your own design by sketching a few ideas on paper. Fill a piping bag with the royal icing & practice it over parchment paper before trying it on the cookies. Although I chose a bright shade of blue, any color would make equally pretty cookies.
The Technique
From glazing the Easter Egg Cookies to the proper techniques for choosing tips & using a pastry bag, decorating seasonally inspired sweets is a fun activity for the entire family. Read through the recipes before beginning & gather a few key supplies together. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
The Glaze
Prepare the Tiffany Blue Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze as directed. If it seems a little scant, pour it into a small prep bowl that is just a bit wider than the cookies you wish to decorate. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze, one at a time. Gently graze the cookie over the bowl lip as you remove it from the icing. The excess will return to the bottom of the bowl. Place the cookies on parchment paper & allow them to dry completely.
No. 2
The Pastry Bag & The Tip
Pastry bags & tips are ideal to use when decorating cookies with fine detail. Disposable & reusable bags can be located from craft stores & super centers. To properly prepare a pastry bag for piping, begin by choosing a tip. A #1 icing tip by Ateco works well for tiny accents. Gage the tip size & snip the pastry bag at the end with scissors. Begin with a small cut then snip again, if necessary, so that the tip doesn’t fall through the opening. Slip the pastry tip into the bag & be certain the fit is snug. Tug the bag upwards to ensure that is indeed the case. Look to The Basics: A Guide To Pastry Bags & Tips for additional pointers.
The Royal Icing
Once the Tiffany Blue Royal Icing has been prepared as directed, fold one third of the piping bag over & hold the bag upright in one hand. Fill it with the icing using a rubber spatula. Do not to overfill the bag as you’ll have better control. If there is any remaining icing left in the bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel to keep it from forming a crust over the surface. Unfold the bag & push the frosting down into the tip. Simultaneously, press out any air bubbles. Twist the empty portion of the bag & allow it to rest just above the frosting. Place the twisted portion between your thumb & forefinger. Gently press the icing a bit to release some of the air. Hold the bag over the cookie & apply steady, even pressure. Guide the bag with your forefinger from the other hand. For dots, pipe straight down & use a
counterclockwise motion to swipe a clean finish at the tip for each decoration. For the lines, pipe in a steady motion. To end, gently cap it downwards & pull the bag away quickly for a neat & tidy look.
The Clean Up
Remove the tip from the bag & rinse well under hot water. Dry the tip thoroughly to prevent any rust from forming. If a reusable bag was used, turn the bag inside out. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Wipe the bag dry with a lint-free cloth. Return the bag to the original side. Set the bag upright in a cone shape & allow to dry further.
No. 3
The Easter Egg Cookies
Decorate the cookies several days in advance. The shortbread will become soft in texture since they are covered with the glaze. Arrange the cookies on a platter for effortless serving.
The Tune
“What A Little Moonlight Can Do” Billie Holiday
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Rebecca Gordon
Be sweet.
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