CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES NOT ONLY FOR DUMMIES...

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE NOT ONLY FOR DUMMIES…

INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN COOKIE DOUGH:

• 1 cup (225g) of real unsalted and softened butter
• 1 cup (225g) of confectioner’s sugar
• 2 yolks
• 3 1/2 – 4 cups (450-500g) of all-purpose flour
• 1-2 tsp. of vanilla flavor
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• Green food coloring
• 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream if necessary
  This version makes 2 dozen of 3" (7cm) cookies.

FOR DECORATIONS:

• 2 – 2 1/2 (340-425g) of M&Ms, Smarties or any other similar chocolate candies
• 1 cup (225g) of royal icing

PREPARATION:
1. Cream together softened butter and confectioner’s sugar.
2. Add to the butter-sugar mixture two yolks and mix until they are thoroughly incorporated.
The cookies made only with yolks are more crispy than cookies made with whole eggs.
3. Add the flavoring and green food coloring to riche green color as you desired.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture.

5. The dough is ready when most of it sticks to the paddle. When you touch it, it has a little give, but does not stick to fingers.
If dough is too heavy add 1-2 tbsp. of heavy cream, if it’s too soft add 1-2 tbsp. of flour.

The dough does not need to be refrigerated but needs to rest a little after mixing. It will firm up a little bit after a minute or two.

NOW YOU HAVE GREEN DOUGH!!!

6. Roll out on parchment to about 1/4 an inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary. Then, cut Christmas tree.

7. Gently press the candies into the dough.

8. Bake at 170-180 C for 6-8 minutes. The cookies are ready when they will still seem a little soft in the center but they will firm up as they cool.

9. When cookies are cool, use pastry bag and round tip n. 2 to add some royal icing onto the cookies to make snow. Pipe snow line. Take small paintbrush and moist it into warm water (it’s must be moist not wet!).
Catch the edge of the line and drag in from the bottom to the top.

The left one Christmas Tree is made without brush embroidery technique. The right one Christmas Tree is what it should look like after a pass through of your Paintbrush using brush embroidery technique.

Now you can eat your Christmas Tree Cookies not only for dummies…!!!