Ryland Peters - Christmas Cookies to Make and Bake

CHRISTMAS COOKIES to make and bake CHRISTMAS
COOKIES to make and bake 25 DELICIOUSLY FUN RECIPES NOTES Both British (Metric) plus American (Imperial plus US cups as appropriate) are included in these recipes for your convenience; however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe. When a prepared baking sheet is called for in the recipes, this means one that has been lightly greased with butter and lined with non-stick baking parchment trimmed to fit. All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified. All eggs are large (UK) which is extra-large (US). Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. Please note that the recipe for Royal Icing given on page 8 contains uncooked egg whites.

Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturers instructions. Always store baked cookies (once they are cool) in airtight containers in a cool and dry place and store like with like to avoid flavour contamination or changes in texture. Designers Paul Stradling and Eoghan OBrien Production Controller Mai-Ling Collyer Editorial Director Julia Charles Publisher Cindy Richards Indexer Hilary Bird First published in 2015 This edition published in 2016 by Ryland Peters & Small 2021 Jockeys Fields London WC1R 4BW
and Ryland Peters & Small Inc. 341 E 116th St New York NY 10029 www.rylandpeters.com Text Annie Rigg, Catherine Woram, Chloe Coker, Gerhard Jenne, Hannah Miles, Isidora Popovic, Julian Day, Laura Tabor, Liz Franklin, Mickael Benichou, Sarah Randell, Tessa Evelegh and Ryland Peters & Small 2015, 2016 Design and photographs Ryland Peters & Small 2015, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-84975-643-3 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors moral rights have been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data has been applied for. Printed and bound in China CONTENTS Cookies are made for sharing and what could be more festive than baking delicious treats that will fill your home with the warming, spiced smells of Christmas? At this special time of year, everything takes on a magical sparkle and feels that little bit more special, and baking is no exception. Giving and receiving are such an important part of the Christmas tradition and home-baked cookies and other sweet treats packaged in cellophane bags or boxes and tied with ribbons are guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of all those lucky enough to receive them, whether its much-lovedgrandparents, thoughtful neighbours or a favourite teacher.

There is something here for everyone, so whether you are a novice baker or an expert, there is no excuse not to put on your best apron, reach for the icing sugar duster and sparkly sprinkles and create some unique magical Christmas memories in the warmth of your own kitchen. The recipes in this book mostly use two types of icings and both are available in the baking aisle of supermarkets. Ready-to-roll fondant icing can be found in a variety of colours and is used to cut into shapes and applied to cookies. Royal icing is used for piping and flooding (see opposite) and can be made using shop-bought Royal Icing Sugar (simply following the instructions given on the pack), or see below for how to make the Royal Icing from scratch. ROYAL ICING 2 very fresh egg whites 500600 g/4 cups icing/confectioners sugar, sifted Place the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 57 minutes, until white and thick. Alternatively use a mixing bowl and hand-held electric whisk.

Beat the egg whites until foamy and whisk in the sugar. For piping it should hold a solid ribbon trail. If you are not using it immediately, cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap, pressing it into the surface to prevent the icing from drying out. Refrigerate until needed (see note on ). USING ROYAL ICING TINTING ICING Divide the icing into separate bowls. Its best to use food colouring pastes for tinting royal icing.

This is available in small pots and in a vast array of colours. A tiny amount of colouring goes a long way, so use it with caution. Use a cocktail stick/toothpick to gradually add dots of colouring to the icing and mix well before adding more colour until you achieve the desired shade. OUTLINING You will need piping bags to create the outlines and details on each cookie. You can buy clear plastic disposable bags from good kitchenware shops, sugarcraft specialists and online suppliers (as shown in the photos, right); or make your own from greaseproof paper, folded into a cone, with the tip snipped off. When outlining, pipe as close to the edge of the cookie as possible.

Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle, apply even pressure (squeezing from the top of the bag, not the middle), and move the bag steadily along the cookie. Leave the outline to dry for a few minutes before flooding the cookie. FLOODING For flooding you will need to thin the icing with a little water until it reaches the consistency of emulsion paint. Add water a teaspoonful at a time until you get the right consistency. Spread some icing onto the cookie, keeping it away from the edges. Spread enough icing onto the cookie so that it looks generously covered, but not so much that it overflows.

Use a round-bladed knife to guide the icing so that it floods any gaps. Once you have flooded the cookie, check the surface for any air bubbles and pop them with a cocktail stick/toothpick. Leave the icing to set completely before applying any further decoration. These pretty festive ornaments are made using a versatile basic spiced gingerbread dough. If you want to thread them with ribbon and hang them from the Christmas tree, remember to make a hole in the top before baking. CHRISTMAS BAUBLES BASIC SPICED GINGERBREAD 2 tablespoons golden/corn syrup 1 egg yolk 200 g/1 cups plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg a pinch of salt 100 g/7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced 75 g/ cup light muscovado or light brown soft sugar TO DECORATE 1 quantity Royal Icing (see ) pink and violet food colouring pastes edible metallic balls and edible glitter Christmas ornament-shaped cutters in assorted designs and sizes 2 prepared baking sheets disposable piping bags MAKES 1216 Beat together the golden syrup and egg yolk in a small bowl.