I was contacted a couple of months ago to offer a cookie decorating class at the Senior Center in town, on February 13th, the day before Valentine’s. After a lot of hyperventilation, monologues around the house, intense arguments with myself, I said yes… So here I am to share with you my plans for this adventure. Below, the designs I’ve settled on to demonstrate and have them do on their own.

Now let me go over the decision-making process… First thing that I had in mind was making it easier to get a polished look by adding a border with sprinkles. One of the tricky aspects of flooding a cookie when you are just starting is having a nice edge. By adding sprinkles this problem is for the most part solved. I tested sanding sugar as well as sprinkles, but to keep it simple in class, I might go with only one option. The sprinkles I used for my first test below are not the right colors, but it’s what I had at the time in my treasure chest. Later I ordered the mandatory white, pink and red.

Also with the idea of simplifying, every design will be made with only three icing colors: white, red and pink… They will be divided in groups, perhaps six different groups, so three bags per group is already quite a lot of work to prepare, especially considering I am a total rookie at this teaching thing… Well, teaching Biochemistry is a completely different adventure!

Finally, the designs will all be wet-on-wet because it is the simplest, most forgiving way to decorate. No need to master fine lines, no need for a dehydrator to speed up setting of a base layer. Even designs that seem complicated are in fact quite simple to do.

I hope they will enjoy what I planned, and of course, feel free to change the colors or placement of details.

One particular design will be finished with a fondant rose, I will make several in advance and take them with me…

That will teach them the marbling technique. All other designs rely on piping + pulling the color with a needle.

As this post gets published, I will have 42 heart-shaped cookies baked and ready for class. On the day of, early in the morning, I will make and bag all the colors, check my list of supplies to take (sprinkles, fondant roses, paper towels, paper plates, and other small things), and hope for the best!

Cross your fingers for me, will you?

ONE YEAR AGO: For the Love of Hearts