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This time last year I was up to my elbows
in dough and icing. My only niece, Erica, was busily finalizing
plans for her May wedding, and I had offered to create a rehearsal
dinner dessert buffet and special, individually boxed candies
for the wedding table favors as my gift. She excitedly accepted,
but did have a small proviso: Could I make individual cookies
for the 125 or so wedding guests instead of the confections I’d
suggested? Considering that cookies are one of my
strong suits (I’ve written two well received cookie cookbooks
and dozens of articles on the subject), this seemed a modest request.
What she had in mind were rolled, cut-out sugar cookies, which
I expected would be a breeze. The only catch: She pictured them iced
to match the bridesmaid’s gowns and the wedding table linens—pale
shades of lavender and apple green. And, oh yes, could I monogram
(using piped icing) each cookie with an H, specifically a curlicued
“Edwardian script” Now, I have always been wary of Martha’s
clever, eye-catching projects. Yes, they look artless and enticing,
but often, they are impractical or tricky to pull off. (I particularly
recall one fanciful feature that encouraged the artistic bride
to fashion her own bouquet; never mind that it called for several
hundred roses and had to be readied on the day of the wedding!)
I do think piped monogramming ought to
be considered optional for the typical home cook. After about
an hour of practicing piping on sheets of wax paper to refresh
my rusty pastry school skills, I was able to approximate the H
(for Horting, the groom’s last name) my niece requested,
but the job takes a steady hand, a good deal of time, and, for
the beginner, I suspect, a generous dash of patience. If you wish to tackle the task, be sure
not to make the cookies too small (the smaller the writing, the
more challenging to execute) and bake plenty of extras to allow
for the rejects (somebody will be delighted to dispatch them,
of course!). Also, give yourself time to practice and be willing
to settle for less than perfection. Or, skip the lettering, and adorn the cookie
centers with a circle of four or five pink, purple, or blue dots
accented with a smaller yellow one in the middle and a light green
squiggle or two on the edge. This technique can create the effect
of pretty spring blossoms and will complement nearly any spring
decorating theme, yet it requires only elementary piping skill. The idea of marking special occasions (particularly
Christmas) with sugar cookies is hardly new in America. Recipes
can be found in many eighteenth and nineteenth century American
cookery books, and precursors of sugar cookies appear in seventeenth
and eighteen century English cook books. Early on, these sweets
were called “tea cakes” or “sugar cakes,”
rather than cookies; the word cookies didn’t catch on here
until the nineteenth century (and never caught on in Britain,
where the word “biscuit,” now prevails). Because chemical leavenings didn’t
become available to home cooks in this country until around 1800,
many of the first sugar cookie recipes were unleavened and reminiscent
of shortbreads. Some were lightened with beaten egg whites or
yeast. As the nineteenth century receipts in the sidebars suggest,
the butter was often cut or “rubbed” into the dough
rather than beaten in, as is common today. The habit of rolling
and cutting out the cookies was already in fashion, though the
custom of elaborately icing and decorating them to fit with special
themes or events didn’t take hold until the twentieth century. So you won’t be left wondering, my
niece and the weather were gorgeous, the groom seemed suitably
smitten, and the wedding and reception went off without a hitch.
The luncheon tables looked fabulous—it seemed to me that
those beribboned, color-coordinated cookies in the photo (shown
just before being set out) were the touch that pulled everything
together! Big Batch Rolled Butter Sugar
Cookies with Sugar Luster Icing (printable) This dough is easy to mix and work with
and yields cookies that have a pleasing butter and vanilla flavor.
Roll the dough a generous 1/8-inch thick for cookies that are
sturdy enough to withstand the handling of decorating, yet thin
enough to be pleasantly crisp. You’ll see that the recipe does away
with the old-fashioned method of rolling the dough on a floured
surface. Instead, directions call for rolling out the dough between
sheets of waxed paper or baking parchment, then transferring it
to the refrigerator to firm up. Next, one sheet is loosened and
patted back into place, and the other is peeled off and discarded
so the cookies can be cut out. The cookies stay more tender and
look more attractive without the usual dusting of flour. Even
better, as the dough warms and becomes too soft to neatly hold
the cut-out shapes, it (along with and the paper underneath) can
be returned to the refrigerator and firmed up again. Besides yielding
more nicely shaped cookies, this technique minimizes counter cleanup.
The icing recipe makes enough to divide
it among a number of small bowls and create a generous assortment
of colors. There will be plenty to cover the tops and to add accenting
piping to an entire batch of dough. Tip: Adjust the sweetness
of the cookies according to the situation. If their tops will
be entirely cloaked in icing, use 1 1/3 cups sugar in the dough;
if they will only be accented with it, use 1 1/2 cups of sugar. 4 1/2 cups all purpose white flour (preferably
unbleached), plus more if needed In a large bowl, stir together the flour,
baking powder, and salt until well blended. In a large mixer bowl
with the mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and granulated
sugar until very light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the
eggs, milk, and vanilla until very well blended and smooth. Gradually
beat or stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture to form
a smooth, slightly firm dough. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes
to firm up a little more. If the dough seems soft, work in up
to 3 tablespoons more flour to make it slightly firmer, but not
at all dry. If it seems dry and crumbly, a bit at a time, evenly
incorporate up to 1 1/2 tablespoons more milk. Divide the dough into thirds. Place each
portion between large sheets of wax paper or baking parchment.
Roll out each portion 1/8 inch thick; check the underside of the
dough and smooth out any wrinkles that form. Stack the rolled
portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet. Refrigerate
for about 45 minutes or until cold and firm; or freeze for about
20 minutes to speed up chilling. (For convenience, the dough sheets
may also be held in the freezer for up to 36 hours.) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease
several large baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray. Working
with one half at a time and leaving the other chilled, gently
peel away, then pat one sheet of wax paper back into place. (This
will make it easier to lift cookies from the paper later.) Peel
off and discard second layer. Cut out cookies using desired cutters.
If making different sizes, group similarly-sized cookies together
on baking sheets to ensure they will be done at the time.d Bake one sheet at a time in the upper third
of the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are just
faintly colored on top and slightly darker at the edges. Turn
the sheet around about halfway through baking if necessary to
ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack; let the
cookies firm up a minute or two. Then, using a wide spatula, transfer
to racks and let cool thoroughly. Decorate as desired using the
following icing. For the icing: In a large mixer bowl, with
the mixer on low speed, beat together the powdered sugar, oil,
corn syrup, vanilla, and 1/4 cup warm water. Raise the speed to
medium and beat until well blended and smooth. (Alternatively,
in a medium, deep bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, oil,
corn syrup, vanilla, and 1/4 cup warm water until well blended
and smooth.) Adjust the icing consistency as needed
by adding a bit more water to thin it or adding powdered sugar
to stiffen it. A fairly fluid consistency is needed to spread
the icing easily and form a perfectly smooth, glossy surface;
a stiff consistency is needed to pipe and form lines that hold
their shape. If desired, divide the icing into several bowls and
tint each a different color by stirring in a drop or two of food
color. Stir in the color thoroughly, as streaks or flecks will
show once the icing dries. The icing gradually dries out and separates
as it stands; stir occasionally and add a drop or two of water
to thin it as necessary. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.
To prevent the piping from running on the iced cookies, be sure
the icing layer is completely set, at least 6 hours, and preferably
longer, before piping. If desired, keep the icing covered tightly
and refrigerated for 3 or 4 days, and up to two weeks, frozen.
Allow it to warm to room temperature and stir well before using.
Un-iced cookies may be frozen, airtight, for up to a month. Let
thaw at room temperature before proceeding with the icing and
decorating. Makes 45-60 2-3-inch cookies, depending
on their thickness and size |
Good Things Happen When She's in the Kitchen!
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American
Heritage Baking—Let’s Bake and Learn
Here
Come the Cookies (and Also the Bride!)
like the one on the wedding invitations? To help ensure I would
produce the works of art she envisioned, she mailed me fabric
swatches, an extra invitation, and photos torn from a Martha
Stewart Living magazine showing assorted handsome monogrammed
cookies being used as party favors. 
But
sugar cookies truly are very do-able, reasonably inexpensive,
and can be prepared well ahead (by someone other than
the bride). Plus, with the right dough and icing in the right
shades, these traditional sweets can make wonderfully decorative
table favors or party treats that guests of all ages will love
to look at and eat. (My cookie recipe below is easy to roll out
and handle as well as delicious, and the icing goes on smoothly
and dries with a lovely sheen.)