fall cookies – For the Love of Cookies

MARLYN’S INSPIRATION CHALLENGE FOR NOVEMBER

November 13, 2022January 16, 2023sallybrLeave a comment

This month, the challenge was summarized in four simple words: “stand up your cookies.” Sounds like something out of a certain tent, right? Not sure if you are watching Great British Bake Off this year, but one technical challenge had an empty page with “make a lemon meringue pie,” Poor contestants…. But, I am not in a tent, no pressure, no cameras, no microphone shoved in my face as things get tricky. Here I am to share the results of my labor, I am quite happy about this composition, and hope you like it too…

For Marlyn’s Facebook page, click here

For Haniela’s Facebook page, click here

The base for the composition is my default chocolate cookie recipe, which you can find in my main food blog with a click here. I constructed a little box, but ended up not using the base, just the sides as it went glued on the base anyway. So here are all the parts baked.

Once the basic components were baked, I started decorating. A couple of weeks ago I took an online class with Haniela where she taught us how to pipe succulents using Royal icing, and I made a bunch during class, and decided to incorporate them in my cookie scene.

The random-shaped base was iced in green with a thicker consistency so I could give it some texture using a brush. The box was also iced with a thicker consistency and the lines added after 15 minutes or so with a needle. Air-brushing gave it a more natural look, so that the color is not too homogeneous. The copper color of the base was just luster powder, applied dry with a soft brush. Acorns are painted fondant, made using a silicone mold.

Squirrels and pumpkins were decorated with Royal icing.

The fun part is definitely assembling it all together… I really enjoyed planning and then making the scene happen. I took the cookie set to our department and I got pretty nice feedback on it. Of all the inspiration posts so far, maybe this is my favorite. Let’s see what Marlyn has in mind for December… Stay tuned!

ONE YEAR AGO: Egg Yolk Painted Cookies

FOR THE LOVE OF FALL

November 5, 2022January 16, 2023sallybr1 Comment

Inspiration for these cookies came from a design I saw in the internet a while ago, captured a quick screenshot, but forgot to save the source. It coupled hearts with fall leaves, and I think it is a nice cookie tribute to one beautiful season in our beautiful planet.

Bringing this design to life is not difficult at all. You will need just white Royal icing in flooding consistency, but not too loose because you want to be able to get some volume in the different sections, and also you don’t want to risk them joining together. I sketched the leaves on the naked cookie, piped the leaf component first, allowed it to set for 10 minutes or so, then came back and did the rest.

Once that is fully set, at least 4 hours, you are ready to paint the details. You can use food gel diluted with vodka, or go for Sugarprism, which is my favorite option. Let your inner Monet fly!

Sugarprism dries quickly, wait about 20 minutes and you will be ready to add the details. I used Royal icing dyed with Americolor Gold, in piping consistency, and a piping tip #1. Later I painted the details with luster gold powder diluted with vodka, but that part is optional, the design will be ok without this step.

They are a little time-consuming but not too bad, and if you enjoy painting they give you a chance to get some Zen-time…

ONE YEAR AGO: Gobble Gobble!

AMY’S STACKABLE PUMPKIN SET

October 26, 2022January 16, 2023sallybrLeave a comment

To join Amy’s Facebook group and be on top of future online classes, click here.

Here I am to report on yet another great online class taught by Amy. If you don’t want to cut the cookies by hand (which is what I did), the set is available at dotsandbowsdesigns, with a click here. Amy’s classes are great to teach several different tricks using the same basic cookie and this was no exception. This particular set takes the pumpkin concept to a higher level of elegance, and it would be a perfect centerpiece to a Fall get-together or a Thanksgiving meal. I learned so many cool tricks… So let me just briefly walk you through the process. Obviously, I cannot share specific details, as it is part of her class.

The cookies are baked, and the pumpkin piped in stages to allow the different sections to have enough definition…

This step is quite straightforward, the only thing you need to master for that is the icing consistency, but that is pretty much the most important aspect of cookie decorating, and only practice will give you what it takes. Keep in mind that no one was born with that skill, we all more or less struggle through the learning process until it becomes second nature. Do not get discouraged. The real fun begins with the side floral panels, and a progression is shown below.

Every step of this process used a new technique. Once again, it is all in the consistency and I got all of them ok, except the blue roses, the icing was just a tiny bit too soft. But I think I still got the shape to stay. My favorite bit is the grapevine, such a cool way to pipe it! And the little pumpkin shown from the top, another brilliant way to bring that to life. Cookie life, that is…

To finish the set, I just added a little shading to the pumpkin and a little touch of luster powder (Khaki color) on the stem and leaves.

I just love all the details and how much I learned in this class. Amy is very encouraging, and even when we need to do something that is intimidating, she insists it is easy and doable, and makes us try it on parchment paper first. That really helps a lot.

Amy, thank you so much for this fantastic online experience!

ONE YEAR AGO: Sally Cookies Sally

MARLYN’S SUNFLOWER PUMPKIN

September 22, 2022January 16, 2023sallybr3 Comments

I cannot lie, I hate that Summer has ended, but I must also admit that Fall might very well be the greatest season for cookie decorating… because…. pumpkins, autumn leaves, and let’s not forget: HALLOWEEN! So, to start things on the best possible mood, I kick the season with a set of cookies created by Marlyn. I fell in love with them at first sight: a mixture of pumpkin and sunflower, in a composition full of small details that make a simple design shine. You can watch her tutorial with a click here.

The background of the pumpkin is made a little more special by spray painting the edges and then splashing some gold on the whole surface. I love that technique, which she demonstrates very well in the video. Just adding these two additional steps to the background makes the cookie special. But, of course, the icing on the cake is the sunflower, petals piped over a ring of icing to give it a little more lift. With Marlyn, it is all in the small details. Below, you can see some of the steps in the preparation of the cookies.

I loved making these cookies because you slowly see the image coming to life. Moreover, they stand as a very nice lesson in decorating, because you need to work on so many skills: a nice smooth flooding, then some air-brushing, working with luster powder, and finally piping designs with different icing consistencies (for the flowers, leaves, and fine line details).

For the sunflower center I used two different methods: black sanding sugar, and adding texture to Royal icing using a fondant ball. I like them both, but working with sanding sugar can be tricky, if you go that route, make sure the petals and areas around the center are fully set so the sugar won’t glue to them.

I hope you enjoyed this set, that represents the essence of Fall so well!

ONE YEAR AGO: Welcome to Fall!

AUTUMN LEAVES

October 14, 2021January 16, 2023sallybrLeave a comment

In my previous post I shared a slightly unusual take on pumpkins, and now I bring you a black and white alternative for Fall-inspired leaves. The basic idea is very simple, and you can do anything you want for each pattern. Don’t worry about it, don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s not about perfection. If you really hate one particular section you made, go ahead and paint it black… Inspiration came from this Instagram page.

The whole process could not be simpler… just flood the cookies with white Royal icing, and allow it to fully set, overnight is best. Then, divide the leaf in sections using a food-safe black pen, with a fine tip. Create different patterns for each of the sections, pretty much anything you imagine will do.

You can make the cookies big or small, it’s very relaxing to draw the patterns, time flies by…

Leaves are definitely one of the top shapes for cookies during this time of the year. No matter your preference, there is always a style out there for you… I actually like to mix and match, modern and traditional on the same batch.

The same basic idea can be applied to many different shapes of cookies, either decorating the whole area of just a small portion. Colors could be fun too instead of black and white. Once again, as usual with cookies, one simple method and so many things you can do with it!

AND NOW FOR PUMPKIN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

October 10, 2021January 16, 2023sallybr1 Comment

Dedicated to all Monty Python fans out there.

Count on Marlyn to turn the pumpkin cookie, pretty much mandatory this time of the year, into something unusual and special. If you read my regular food blog, in the last In My Kitchen post I shared a little silicone mold to make a filigree type decoration. It is exactly what I used to decorate the pumpkin cookies, following Marlyn’s design (detailed video available here).

The making of the cookie is actually very simple. For a watercolor effect (starting around 8 min of Marlyn’s video), flood with white and then add patches of color with very diluted gel food dye (Everclear works best to dilute it). Let it dry, and add the fondant decoration, painted with gold luster dust (I used Egyptian gold). Alternatively you can just flood with a solid color like the one on the left side below.

The fall leaves were inspired by Amber, from @sweetambs (watch quick video here). The same watercolor technique, but applied to the naked cookie, so the colors will end up much more vivid. Then the veins are piped and painted with gold or copper. I really love the look of these cookies, and they both are pretty simple to decorate, plus the fall leaves will please those who prefer a cookie without too much Royal icing.

Visit my recent https://bewitchingkitchen.com/2021/10/01/in-my-kitchen-october-2021/In My Kitchen post to see the silicone mold I used for the decoration. There are plenty of options available in stores like amazon, etsy or aliexpress, make sure you consider the size of your pumpkin cookie cutter to get the appropriate mold.

A little play with coral colors in different techniques: air-brush with stencil, textured icing (laying crumpled parchment paper on the wet icing and waiting 24 hours to remove it), and the watercolor pumpkin.

I am a lover of all things Summer, but I have to admit that the Fall with all the warm colors and interesting shapes is one of the best seasons for cookie baking and decorating. Stay tuned for a lot more…

A WELCOME TO FALL

September 21, 2021January 16, 2023sallybrLeave a comment

It is that time of the year. Temperatures will drop, and the trees will soon change color. These cookies are my little shout out to Autumn. Some inspired by Marlyn, from Montreal Confections, and adapted to my skill level.

I fell in love with these cookies the moment I saw the video by Marlyn. The challenging part for me was piping the basket, and I do need more practice, but overall I am happy with the outcome. You should definitely see Marlyn’s version, because she added a little bear peeking from inside the basket, the cutest little detail (Instagram entry here). I simplified it by using fondant flowers instead. The chocolate dough is my default, by the way. I sent these cookies to a dear friend, and used the smallest amount of chipotle, as I did not know her take on the pairing of cocoa with pepper…

The cookie cutter I used was this one. It all starts by piping an outline for each balloon section, and piping the basket weave. Then, flood the different regions according to your choice of pattern (dots, swirls), and you are almost there. Some fondant decorations and additional piping is all you’ll need. I had some leftover Royal icing which I put to use in my Hexagon Ode to Fall. I had no idea where I was going with it, but I liked it a lot. It ended up with an ET-meets-Aztec aura…

Another cute cookie project conceived by Marlyn (her creativity is unreal), involves the candy corn shape. Recently I got a special cutter that makes four small cookies at a time. It is what I’ve used in this fun batch. Check her IG post for all details.

This is a much simpler project, although it does require the piping of fine lines as a starting point. You can get by without them, but some of the visual impact will be lost.

The final detail is a little luster powder in red or pink to make the cheeks blush. I tell you, my friends, cookie decorating is all in the small details, and if you follow the artists out there, you will learn a ton from them.