8 Tips for Decorating with Royal Icing

Tis the season for sugar cookies! I love sugar cookies because they are perfect for any occasion, however, I definitely make more than usual around the Christmas season. I thought I would share some of my tips for decorating with royal icing. I shared my recipe for royal icing in a previous post but I thought today I would take the time to share some more tips for decorating with it. I know it can be super frustrating when the image you have in your head doesn't quite translate into the perfect looking cookie. These are a few things I try to keep in mind when decorating cookies - year round.  

Tips for Decorating with Royal Icing 

 1. Icing consistency is key

Your desired icing consistency will depend on if you are flooding, outlining or adding detail to your cookie. Add additional water slowly (think 1/2 a teaspoon at a time) until your desired consistency is reached. I typically use a 10 second consistency icing to outline and flood my cookie. I will use a slightly thicker consistency when adding detail to my cookies.

2. Keep your icing covered when not in use

Royal icing drys out quickly, be sure to keep it covered either with plastic wrap or a clean damp tea towel. This prevents it from crusting over or drying out.  

3. Use gel colours to tint your royal icing

Gel colours will not effect the consistency of the icing.  Remember a lot goes a long way. Your icing will also darken over time so you will need even less then you think you do. I add my gel colours to my icing using a clean toothpick. Be sure to use a new clean toothpick each time as you don't want to contaminate your gel colours.

4. Always make more of a colour than you think you'll need

It is really difficult to exactly match a colour that you have previously made. Making more of a colour than you think you will need eliminates the stress of running out of a particular colour of icing and having to try and match it. Save yourself the headache and just make a bit more to begin with. 

5. Sketch or write out a game plan

If I am creating multiple different cookies in a set I will often sketch out a rough idea of how I am going to decorate my cookies. This allows me to see how many different colours I will need to make and the number of steps 

6. Simplify when possible

Once you create your game plan, look for ways to simplify your design. I always look to see if I can eliminate a colour or step and still achieve the overall results that I am looking for.  I try to limit my designs to 3-4 colours. I find this creates a more cohesive set and as a bonus it reduces the amount of colours & piping bags I have to create 

7. Give yourself enough time

While you could make and decorate your cookies all in one day, I like to space it out. I work backwards from the number of steps in my game plan to determine how many days I will need to make my cookies without going crazy! Ha. I typically take 3 days to make a set. One day to make the dough and bake the cookies, one day to flood the cookies and another to add the detail. Trying to add details to soon or flood a warm cookie just leads to frustration.  

8. Storing your Royal Icing

If you ran out of time, or made more icing than you need. Not to worry. You can store your icing. Royal icing made with meringue powder stores wonderfully, in an air tight container on the counter. I put a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the icing to keep it from crusting over, and then put my lid on top. It will last for over a week on the counter. The icing will start to separate and probably won't be at a perfect consistency when you go to use it again. Just pop it back in your mixer for a few minutes for it reincorporate and add small amounts of additional water as necessary to get it back to your desired consistency.

Happy decorating! 

Orange Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

This biscotti is flavoured with orange zest and dotted with dried cranberries and roasted pistachios making for a beautiful festive holiday cookie that is sure to please anyone on your list! The chewy dried cranberries paired with the crunchy pistachios makes for a delicious texture combination.

I typically make biscotti every Christmas. I tend to play around with different flavour combinations - since the possibilities are seemingly endless. This year I decided to go with an orange, cranberry and pistachio flavour. I love the way that it turned out! The pistachios and cranberries make for a very festive looking biscotti and all of the flavours play really well together. Adding a drizzle of white chocolate finishes off this beautiful looking biscotti making it extra festive and perfect for the holidays! 

Biscotti is a cookie that you bake twice. First as a log, then you cut it into individual cookies and bake it again. The second baking helps to toast the cookies, drying them out. This means that the cookies last for longer than your typical cookie. This is one of the things I love about making biscotti for the holidays. You can make it early on, giving you plenty of time to prepare other dishes or baking closer to Christmas. Biscotti also makes a simple and affordable gift for friends and family to enjoy with their coffee or tea.  Wrapped in a beautiful mug with some cellophane it makes for an adorable hostess gift!

Orange Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients

1/2 c butter, at room temperature 

1 c sugar 

2 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla 

2 1/4 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 

2 tbsp orange zest

1/2 c dried cranberries 

1/2 c  roasted pistachios, chopped 

1/4 c white chocolate chips, melted

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. 

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, over medium to high speed beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in vanilla. 

On low speed, mix dry ingredients into wet, until just combined. The dough will be fairly dry but should start to come together in large clumps. Stir in orange zest, cranberries and pistachios until just combined. 

Turn dough out onto the countertop. Knead dough until it comes together. Shape into a large log  (about 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick) and press to flatten slightly. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. 

Allow biscotti to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting into slices (cut on a diagonal for a more elegant look). Lay slices on baking sheet. 

Bake in a 325F oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and almost dry. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Cinnamon Rolls

Is there anything better than delicious doughy cinnamon rolls slathered with a cream cheese glaze straight out of the oven? 

These cinnamon rolls are dangerous! As in I wanted to sit and eat the entire pan straight out of the oven kinda dangerous. These things are good and they make your entire house smell amazing. 

I am always slightly nervous when baking anything that involves yeast. There is always the question of will this work out? Will it rise? You put in some much time (and hope) waiting for the dough to rise - you really want it to work out! There is something so relaxing about measuring out the ingredients, mixing the dough, leaving it to rise and watching it bake in the oven.  It is a lovely cozy ritual - perfect for a sunday morning.   You can make the dough for these cinnamon rolls the day before - and bake them the next morning! Enjoy them fresh from the oven with a large cup of coffee or tea. These would make for the perfect Christmas morning treat! 

Cinnamon Rolls 

With Cream Cheese Glaze

Directions

In a glass measuring cup, add the yeast to the warm milk and let it stand for 5 minutes. The yeast should start to foam in the milk.  

In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, over medium speed beat together butter, sugar and the egg. Slowly add in the milk and yeast mixture. Mix in the flour and salt. Until just combined. 

Switch to a dough hook, and mix until a smooth dough forms (3-5 minutes).  Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise until double in sized. 

To create the filling, in a small bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into long rectangle roughly 15 by 9 inches. Evenly spread the butter and cinnamon mixture over the dough. From one of the long ends, roll the dough into a log, pinch the ends together to seal.  Cut into 12-15 rounds. Place cinnamon buns in pie plate or cake pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size. *If you would like to bake the dough the next day, let rise overnight in the fridge. 

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake cinnamon rolls for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment over medium to high speed, beat together, butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add in icing sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. 

Top warm cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze. Enjoy! 

 For the Dough 

1 package yeast 

2/3 c warm milk 

1/2 c butter, at room temperature 

1/4 c sugar 

1 egg

3 c flour 

1/2 tsp salt

For the Filling 

1/4 c butter, at room temperature 

1/4 c brown sugar 

1 tbsp cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Glaze 

1/4 c butter, at room temperature 

4 oz cream cheese, softened 

1 1/2 c icing sugar 

1 tsp vanilla