Thursday, December 22, 2011

Eggless Royal Icing for Eggless Sugar Cookies and Season's Greetings

Wishing all my readers a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. It's officially Christmas here at our place. Girls have decorated little X'mas tree, just big enough to place gifts underneath. Personalized hand made Stockings are hung with  no special directions for Santa this time, only a wish list. Gifts are bought for the kids & tucked away somewhere, where they won't explore anything.  R also bought gift for us, while doing shopping with me, though it seems Dad is already quite satisfied with cookies, every time he entered the kitchen he asked when can I eat these. R has also taped her wish list on the wall behind the Christmas tree for Santa. And just for records here's the glimpse of her list :
    - black retriever puppy on 3rd no.
    - horse on the 7th no. &
    - parrot on the 10th
(it did took around 5 yrs. for horse to reach on  #7 it use to be up at #1 few years back)
But Thank God what I already bought for her is on 1st no. on her list. As for little one Ms. S, I have to say she has good observation. Couple of days back I asked her "What do U want for Christmas dear" and she answered "I want my Birdays" means birthday cake. Today I asked her "What do U want for Christmas dear" & answer was "I need presents, like yellow & red, and U can have candy in there, I'm gonna open it & we gonna eat it we can share it with all friends" and when I said why U want presents answer was "I NEED Presents". And she added Santa is like my "Grandpa Santa", he gonna come & eat one cookie. Thanks to Clifford & Calliou.

As for me I baked 6 batches of Eggless Sugar Cookies Couple of days back for R's school party. I've already posted these Eggless Sugar cookies back in January but this time I decorated them with eggless Royal Icing. Recipe for the icing is again from Aparna's blog who has further adapted it from veglicious.

What I used :
  • 1/2 cup Icing Sugar
  • 1&1/2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • few drops of food coloring
  • 2-3 tsp. milk(use soy/almond milk/water for vegan version)
What I did :
Mix together sugar & cornstarch. Add lemon juice & milk(one spoon at a time) & mix it until the mixture become smooth but thick paste.

Divide the icing into different bowls & add few color drops in each as per your requirement, Mix.

Keep it for about 5-7 minutes, so that if any air bubbles are there will come to top.

Adjust the consistency of icing by using few extra drops of liquid(water/milk) for thin version or little extra icing sugar for thick version.

Transfer the icing to piping bags as otherwise it will harden.(I got the icing ready in piping bags a night before).

Note : If U need some tips for icing cookies please visit this post on Aparna's blog or for detailed version check this one out.

R also tried her hands on cookie decoration, I would say really good for her age.

Note : Cookies without any decorations can be kept in an airtight container for few weeks. Other day I read it on some website that they can be freezed also for almost a year.

But when it comes to decorated cookies, keep them in the airtight container once they have dried completely.Will stay fresh for around 3-4 weeks on the shelf. Any Royal Icing decorations are not suggested to refrigerate.