Cookie Decorating Tips
Baking cookies is an entertaining task; all it takes to make cookies like a pro is a good cookie recipe, an imaginative mind and appropriate set of tools. The secret to success and satisfaction does not lie at the heart of perfect icing. In fact, from kneading the dough to making use of cutters, everything down the manufacturing process plays a vital role in cookie decoration. After you have baked stunning cookies, here is what you need to know about the decoration.
Tools for Cookie Decorating
Icing is primarily of two types: non-hardening and hardening. The former is ideal for cookies that are not meant for being transported — a holiday dinner or a birthday party that you are organizing at your home is the best occasion for non-hardening icing. The non-hardening icing remains soft no matter the temperature or time.
Royal Icing
The royal icing hardens upon drying. The opaque icing is perfect for detailing small cookies as well as huge gingerbread houses. The consistency can be modified with the help of sugar. By adding more sugar, a thicker icing can be obtained. To make the icing lighter in consistency, simply add water. At this point, you may also add food colors depending upon the decoration requirements. The icing should be applied with a piping bag. First, squirt the icing creating an outline at the edge of the cookies. Let it dry first and then pour some more icing with a spoon if you want to fill or “flood” the entire cookie and allow it to dry. You can decorate some more by creating colorful icing patterns with a piping bag.
Frost
The frosting can be created by mixing milk, confectioner’s sugar, butter, and vanilla essence. If you want the frosting to be chocolaty, you may add cocoa to it. Make sure that the frosting is of appropriate consistency. Just like butter cream, this sort of non-hardening icing remains soft throughout. You may use a spatula for spreading them out or pour it with a piping bag. The cookie decoration looks fantastic by sprinkling sugar or sprinkles on the soft, fluffy, and light frosting.
Glaze
The cookie glaze can easily be made from confectioner’s sugar, milk, and corn syrup. The consistency of the glaze icing must be thick. However, you should still be able to pour it. Additional milk can make the icing thinner while more confectioners’ sugar will turn it thicker. You may add food color too if you want the cookie decoration to look eye-catching or you may add colorful sprinkles. You may sandwich a couple of cookies with sprinkles in the center. The glaze icing also hardens upon drying. As this is harder, it can be used to write messages as well.
You can create all kinds of designs and patterns with the help of the aforementioned icings. We bet that anyone who sees your cookies will be amazed at your baking skills.
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