Christmas Ornament Cookies- Country Living

* Exported from MasterCook *

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT COOKIES - COUNTRY LIVING

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 36 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Kooknet Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 c Vegetable shortening
1 1/3 c Sugar
2 lg Eggs
3 1/2 c Unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
Royal Icing-recipe follows
Food coloring (see Note)

1. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium
speed, beat butter and shortening until well blended;
add sugar and beat until light. Add eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition.

2. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder,
and salt. With mixer on low speed, add half of flour
mixture to butter mixture and beat until soft dough
forms. Shape dough into 3 equal balls; wrap and
refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. To cut and bake cookies: Heat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Cut 2 pieces of waxed
paper the same size as the baking sheets. Lightly
flour waxed paper and roll out one ball of dough
between paper to 1/8-inch thickness. Remove top piece
of waxed paper. Using our 7-inch bauble-shaped cookie
cutter, cut out as many baubles from dough as
possible, leaving 1/2 inch between each shape. Remove
all trimmings and press together. Invert waxed paper
with baubles onto greased baking sheet and peel off
waxed paper. Reroll trimmings between waxed paper and
repeat cutting and inverting baubles to fill second
baking sheet. If making cookies for ornaments, use a
toothpick tp pierce a small hole about 1/2 inch from
top of each cookie.

4. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then remove to wire
racks and cool completely before decorating. Repeat
rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining balls of
dough and trimmings.

5. To decorate cookies as pictured in the magazine
(plaid), prepare Royal Icing. Divide icing in half,
placing one half in a medium-size bowl. Divide
remaining half of icing among 3 small bowls or cups.
Tint icing in medium-size bowl pale yellow with yellow
food coloring (see Note). Mix one small bowl of icing
with burgundy food coloring, another with teal food
coloring, and the last bowl with violet food coloring.
Spoon icings (except yellow) into separate small
pastry bags fitted with small (#1) writing tips. With
pastry brush, paint the front of each cookie with a
think coat of the yellow icing, being sure not to
cover pierced hole; let dry and paint again. When
yellow icing has dried, pipe decorateive lines, dots
and curls on front of cookies using other colored
icings. To store cookies, place them in a single layer
in airtight containers.

ROYAL ICING: In large bowl, with electric mixer on low
speed, beat two 1-lb packages confectioners' sugar, 6
large egg whites (if cookies will be eaten, use
meringue powder and follw package instructions for
Royal Icing: see Note), and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
until mixed. Increase speed to high, beat until very
thick and fluffy-about 6 minutes. Cover tightly with
plastic wrap to prevent drying until ready to use.
Makes 4 cups.

Note: We used Wilton's Egg Yellow, Burgundy, Teal and
Grape Violet food coloring and meringue powder, which
can be purchased wherever cake decorating supplies are
sold or by calling Wilton Industries at (800) 772-7771.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned & edited by Di
Pahl & <gg>



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