8

THE BASICS

Learn the elements of cookie style—drop, roll, slice, shape—and you’ll be well on your way to great baking. Add icing, piping, and embellishing, and that’s where cookie perfection happens.

Techniques

Tips and tricks for mastering the foundations of cookie making, from shaping, slicing, and scooping to piping and decorating.

The dough for slice-and-bake cookies, fondly referred to as icebox cookies, can be made in advance and stored in the freezer.

Place dough on a sheet of parchment and shape into a rough log. Pull the parchment toward you over the log. To mold the dough, press the edge of a ruler along the two layers of parchment. Holding the bottom parchment, push the ruler tightly against the log to shape and smooth.

Cut open a paper-towel tube lengthwise and place the log inside (or roll log on a hard surface several times during the chilling process to prevent flattening). Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. To bake, use a long, sharp knife to slice the frozen log.

Drop cookies are made by scooping spoonfuls of dough and “dropping” them on parchment-lined baking sheets.

The dough should be slightly firm. If it’s too soft, refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Use an ice-cream or cookie scoop (see page 18) to create uniform cookies, or use two tablespoons to shape them.

Space the cookies on the sheets, as they will spread in the oven. Cool them on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

To make ahead, freeze unbaked balls of dough on sheets, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze up to 1 month. Bake frozen, adding a few minutes to the time.

Perfectly rolled and cut cookies are the foundation for our showstopper cookies, like the Flower-Embellished Wreaths (this page).

Divide the dough into equal disks and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour, or according to recipe directions. To test if the dough is ready for rolling, press gently with your finger; it should barely leave an indentation.

Unwrap the dough and place it on a floured surface or between two sheets of parchment. (If the dough is sticky, lightly flour the parchment.) Beginning at the center and applying even pressure, roll the dough between the parchment to the same thickness (to ensure the cookies bake at the same rate).

When cutting cookie shapes, begin at the outside of the dough and cut the shapes close together to minimize scraps. Refrigerate scraps until chilled, reroll, and cut again. In general, only reroll once, as the process toughens the dough.

Before baking, refrigerate the cut cookies on baking sheets until the dough is firm. Chilling will help maintain the shapes of the cut cookies as they bake.

Piping gives you greater control when shaping the base of a heart (above left), or adding the perfect layer of creamy filling to a whoopie pie (above right), or flooding glossy icing on cutout cookies (this page). While it may seem intimidating to a novice baker, it’s surprisingly easy to master the basics. If it’s your first time piping details, practice on parchment before getting started.

To fill a pastry bag, snip off the pointed end of a bag, then insert the coupler base into it, making sure the screw threads are covered. Place the pastry tip over the base of the coupler and screw on the outer ring to secure. Hold the bag with one hand and, to make filling it easy, fold down two to three inches over your hand, or place the bag in a tall container or glass and fold the top over the sides. (Place a damp paper towel at the bottom to help keep the filling in the tip from drying out.) If the filling is runny, cover the tip with plastic wrap. Fill the bag halfway to two thirds, unfold the top, and push the filling toward the tip to get rid of any air bubbles. Twist the top of the bag to close or secure with a rubber band or binder clip.

Whether you’re piping dough, filling, or icing, hold the top of the bag with one hand and direct the tip with the other. Keep the bag vertical, applying pressure as you go.

1. With a ¼-inch round tip (such as Ateco #2), pipe an outline around the edge, leaving a ¼-inch border. Use a thick icing for the outline; then thin it with water, to a honey consistency, for Step 2.

2. Using a larger round tip (such as Ateco #5), pipe several zigzags across the entire surface to fill the outline. This is called flooding.

3. With a toothpick or a small offset spatula, spread the icing evenly over the cookie.

4. Allow the icing to dry about 12 hours before piping details. Once decorated, allow the cookies to dry completely, about 24 hours.

Icings, Fillings, and Glazes

Gorgeous piping, creamy fillings, and glossy glazes add beautiful color, contrasting textures, and sometimes that extra shine to enhance an already delicious treat.

Royal Icing

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more if needed

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon meringue powder

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on low, beat confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and scant ½ cup water until smooth and opaque white, about 7 minutes. If icing is too thick, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until icing has the consistency of glue; if too thin, continue beating icing 2 to 3 minutes more, or add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week; stir well with a flexible spatula before using.

VARIATION

To color the royal icing, add gel-paste food coloring, a drop or a dab at a time with a toothpick, and blend well before adding more, until desired color is reached.

Poured Chocolate Fondant

MAKES 1¾ CUPS

1½ pounds (6 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk in ½ cup water and the corn syrup; place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until warm to the touch, about 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate until melted and smooth, about 1 minute more. Add additional warm water as needed to maintain a smooth consistency, and rewarm as needed in a microwave or in a bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water.

Basic Buttercream

MAKES 5½ CUPS

4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ pounds (6 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of coarse salt

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium, add sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating after each addition, until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 1 minute more. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low until smooth.

Caramel Buttercream

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

⅓ cup sugar

Pinch of coarse salt

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1¼ cups Basic Buttercream (recipe previous)

1. In a small high-sided saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, until caramel is a deep amber, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Carefully whisk in cream (it will spatter), then butter, until combined. Let caramel sauce cool completely, about 45 minutes.

3. With mixer on medium, beat buttercream and caramel sauce, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low until smooth.

Swiss Meringue Filling

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 cup sugar

Pinch of cream of tartar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Fill a medium saucepan one-quarter full with water. Bring water to a simmer over medium heat.

2. In a heatproof bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar; place over (not in) saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3½ minutes. (Test by rubbing between your fingers.)

3. Remove bowl from heat. With an electric mixer on low, beat whites, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla and mix until just combined. (Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.)

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS

5 large egg whites, room temperature

1¼ cups sugar

4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Fill a medium saucepan one-quarter full with water. Bring water to a simmer over medium heat.

2. In a heatproof bowl, combine egg whites and sugar; place over (not in) saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3½ minutes.

3. Remove bowl from heat. With an electric mixer on low, beat whites, gradually increasing to high speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes.

4. With mixer on low, add butter, piece by piece, to egg whites and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and mix until just combined. (Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.)

Lemon Glaze

MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP

1 large egg white

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more if needed

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, whisk together egg white, sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. If necessary, add up to 1 teaspoon lemon juice to reach desired consistency. If glaze runs down edges of cookie, add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If glaze is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. (Use immediately, or store at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Templates

To make the Honey-Spice Gingerbread Townhouses on this page, print these templates, enlarging them to 125%.

To download template, go to http://prhlink.com/9781524763404a001.

Embellishments

Making Sugared Garnishes

This technique can be used for mint leaves and small edible flowers, herb sprigs, and berries. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water. Holding the mint leaf or other garnish with tweezers, brush egg white onto surface to lightly coat both sides. Sprinkle superfine sugar over surface and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to dry, about 8 hours. (Garnishes can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Making Candied Citrus

With a sharp paring knife, slice the ends of oranges, lemons, or grapefruits. Following the curve of the fruit, cut away the outermost peel, leaving most of the white pith on the fruit. Slice the peel lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips. In a medium pot of boiling water, cook peel until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer peel to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spread in a single layer to dry slightly, about 15 minutes. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel and boil until it turns translucent and syrup thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer peel to wire rack, separating the pieces as needed. Let peel dry 1 hour. Toss with ½ cup sugar to coat.

Making Candied Ginger

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel 2 pieces (6 inches each, about 8 ounces) fresh ginger. With a sharp paring knife, slice ginger crosswise very thinly (about ⅛ inch thick). Add ginger slices to pan; simmer over medium-low heat until translucent and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer ginger to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment; let drain. Reserve ginger syrup for another use (let cool; refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month). Pour ¼ cup sugar into a small bowl; coat ginger slices, 1 or 2 at a time, in sugar. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.)

Toasting Nuts

To toast nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts, preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes; start checking after 6 minutes if nuts are sliced or chopped. For hazelnuts, bake at 375°F until skins split, 10 to 12 minutes; when cool enough to handle, rub in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins.

Melting Chocolate

Coarsely chop chocolate with a serrated knife. Place chocolate in a dry heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir chocolate until melted and shiny. Remove bowl from heat and wipe moisture from bottom of bowl.