A cookie decorating technique after my own heart, stenciling doesn’t require that you be a born-again Van Gogh. With a pretty stencil, the right consistency of Royal Icing, and some practice, anyone can make gorgeous stenciled works of art. Read on
Royal icing is hands down my favorite icing for cookie decorating. The egg whites in royal icing make it faster drying than confectioner’s icing, where the liquid content is usually milk or cream, and better for fine detail work, as
Marbling is responsible for the wonderfully intricate, Italian watermark-like patterns on the various cookies, pictured right. While marbling gives the appearance of being complex, it’s actually one of the quickest and most forgiving cookie decorating techniques around. The technique looks
When asked by my editor at Sauce magazine to develop a soul-satisfying winter dish, I could think of nothing better than mac ‘n cheese. (No surprise, really. I’m a comfort food gal through and through, if you didn’t know already!)
When a box of Russell Stover’s no longer registers appreciative oohs and ahs, offer this Valentine’s project as a token of your undying love. It says something special, pun intended. What you’ll need for 1 box:(See accoutrements, second photo from
Oh, there’s nothing better than a project that lets me share my treasures and keep them too! Last year, I rescued a stack of blank vintage bistro menus from a dusty corner of a nearby antiques store. Rather than write
Another interpretation of cookie “love letters” – and a much more literal interpretation at that! The envelopes here are iced gingerbread cookies (yes, you heard me right!) and the carrying container is a dolled up papier mâché mailbox!What you’ll need
Put everyone in high spirits with these whimsical Valentine’s Day cotton candy displays. In addition to the candy, two other parts are edible! What you’ll need for 1 display: Cylindrical glass vase (choose a size that best fits your overall
We all have that certain someone for whom a box of chocolates doesn’t seem quite enough . . . that person who’s been there, done that, and seen it all! Am I right? . . . OK, now that we’ve
Tick tock. Tick tock. Before you know it, this year will be a distant point in history. If you’re spinning your wheels on New Year’s resolutions or otherwise counting the passing of time, I urge you to stop. The few
If the flurry of malls and mass consumerism overwhelms you during the Christmas season, then do as I do and avoid the excess by delivering holiday cheer with handcrafted party invitations, favors, and gifts. Or go the extra distance and
Come the first of October, bakers everywhere crank up the heat on their ovens, and a riotous waving of spatulas ensues! All in celebration of National Cookie Month, my favorite time of year! In the spirit of the season, I offer you this fanciful Halloween cookie fest
Whether you’re still lounging around the pool sipping piña coladas or beginning to corral the kids for the start of the school year, one thing is certain: no one wants to spend the last days of summer toiling over an
Turning a bridal shower into a cookie swap is a sure winner. Trust me; in my seven years as a bakery owner, I saw thousands of weddings! Everyone’s a sucker for cookies – including the bride. After months of restraint to fit
From the Valentine’s Day chapter in Cookie Swap, this recipe is sure to have chocolate fans falling head over heels. In this triple-decker brownie, the season’s favorite aphrodisiac factors into three places: a buttery crumb crust, a dense chocolate-raspberry filling, and
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