Textured Ombre Christmas Tree Macaron and Whipped White Chocolate Pistachio Ganache recipe

I'm a bit excited because I've recorded a new Youtube video. Oh my goodness, WOW! How much has technology changed in the last 10 years and by the way how fast does time go. Today was a learning curve, and some of the sound is a bit stilted, but new things are always fun and I'm looking forward to making more.

I thought I would jump back into it with some textured ombre Christmas Tree macarons, which is pretty much making up macaron mixture and not properly following through with the macaronage.

Which actually makes the whole process easier because no stopping and starting and counting out to see if the mixture is sinking back so it will make perfect shiny shells that won't collapse.

If you haven't made macarons before it might be a good place to start. I've used my regular macaron batter and piped the Christmas trees using Wilton petal tips 103 and 104 and then decorating with some royal icing.

I made the macarons in pink and green ombre which just means that they graduated from light to dark in the same shade. It would take a few steps out if you made them all the same colour and didn't decorate them and they look just as impressive.

The green macarons were filled with a delicious whipped pistachio ganache which I recommend, even if you decide not to make textured macarons (recipe below).

Happy Baking XX

Linda M

Macaron Recipe- Macarons should be filled a day prior to consuming and can be stored in fridge for a week. Filled and undecorated macarons can be wrapped in lots of 3-5 in plastic wrap, placed in an airtight container and frozen for a month.

190 gram (6 5/8 oz)almond meal (almond flour) blanched 190 gram pure icing sugar (6 5/8 oz powdered sugar) 190 gram granulated sugar (6 5/8 oz) 1 tsp powdered egg white (optional) 48 grams water (1 5/8 oz) 140 gram egg whites aged split into 2 lots of 70grams each (5 oz split into 2 lots of 2 1/2oz each) food color of choice 1. Mix the ground almonds and icing sugar together and pulse a few times in food processor to make almond meal finer. Do not over process as the meal can become oily. Sieve into a large bowl. Put 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of the egg whites in a bowl but don’t mix in yet. 2. Place remaining 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of egg whites in bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk. 3. Pop granulated sugar and water into saucepan stir to combine and cook without stirring to 118C (245 F). Brush down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water as required to avoid the sugar crystallizing. Once the mixture reaches 115C (240 F) start mixing the egg whites on high. Make sure you have a pouring shield on your mixer, when the sugar syrup reaches 118C (245 F)remove from heat and immediately pour in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl continuing to whisk on high. 4. Continue to whisk the meringue on high until the side of the bowl is only a little warm to touch, around 50C (120 F). 5. Add meringue mixture to almond mixture and add in extra egg whites and using a large spatula fold the mixture together until it is just combined. 6. Split into 3 bowls with about 1/2 cup batter in one bowl, 1 cup in another and leave the remainder in the mixing bowl, then add colour to each bowl as desired making sure to not overmix. 7. Put each seperate colour into a piping bag fitted with a 103 or 104 petal tip. Line a tray with non stick baking paper or a silicone mat and using the darkest colour pipe a row with about 5 ruffles then another row with 4 ruffles, switch to the next lightest colour and pipe 3 ruffles and finally pipe a top swirl with the lightest colour.

Link to pink silicone mat AUSTRALIA AMAZON or US AMAZON

8. Allow to rest for 20 mins until the surface of macaron is just dry to touch and then bake at 135C (275 F) for 20 mins or until the tops of the macron is firm and does not jiggle when lightly pushed from the side. 9. Allow to cool and fill, I filled the green trees with Whipped White Chocolate Pistachio Ganache with a wilton open star tip, try tips 18 or 21.

Pistachio Ganache - I used Pisti pistachio cream I picked up at Costco here in Australia you can get it here on CLICK HERE FOR PISTACHIO PASTE AMAZON AUSTRALIA 

or in US  CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO AMAZON PISTACHIO PASTE  

300g white chocolate

100g cream

80g pistachio paste

optional drop green food colour (I used eucalypt)

- heat the pistachio paste for 20-30 seconds to warm it, set aside until needed.

- mix together the white chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat at hight for 1 minute, allow to sit for 1 minute and mix until smooth, if there are still lumps that have melted, heat for another minute and mix until smooth.

- add the pistachio paste to the white chocolate ganache mixture and mix until smooth, add food colour if required,

- allow to cool then whip to make a lighter airier consistency once it has set. 

Original photos and recipe from the Bubble and Sweet blog by Linda Mccubbin. I love when people share my blog ideas and give credit. Please feel free to link back to my blog for non commercial purposes. Affiliated links and adds may earn me money, however all ideas and opinions are my own,

Soft Gingerbread Christmas Honey Jumbles

Every year I am surprised when December comes around and I'm caught out by not organising my Christmas baking better. In fact I feel every year I might become even more disorganised.

I did move a number of years back from a house where I had a dedicated cake and crafting room to a smaller house where I need to pack away everything into separate rooms and cupboards each time I finish and clean up. Getting ready for a day of baking sometimes takes me an hour as I source all my equipment. I am trying at the moment to scale down and get rid of some superfluous items but it is much easier said than done. Instead of achieving a sleek streamlined kitchen, I have just accumulated a number of blogs and instagram accounts I follow that tell me how to do it.

Plus if I achieve my minimalist dream how would I have stuff like this adorable Christmas Greengate Deer to pop in my photo's.

Anyhoo, back to Christmas baking, and today I'm sharing a spiced up version of Honey Jumbles which is an Australian Biscuit (cookie) which was sold in supermarkets but discontinued a few years back. This basically turns an iconic Australian treat into a soft delicious fragrant gingerbread cookie. 

One of the key swap outs is golden syrup for honey which gives a richer flavour. If you are in the US you can buy Golden Syrup on amazon (Tate & Lyle GoldenSyrup) or substitute dark corn syrup or a mix of half honey/ half molasses.  Or in a pinch just use honey and you will still have a delicious cookie.

I've added some sweet fondant holly decorations made with a press out cutter/embosser for a simple pretty pastel Christmas theme. Click here for a link to holly cutter (AMAZON USA). You could easily leave off the decoration or use Christmas coloured sprinkles or decorations picked up at the local supermarket.

Happy Baking XX

Linda M

Honey Jumbles makes 10 - (Honey Jumbles were a cookie/biscuit sold by Arnott's Australia and discontinued. This is a soft gingerbread version.) Recipe can be doubled and will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for 3 days.

40 g (1 3/8 oz) Unsalted Butter (if you use salted butter omit the salt added below) 

1/4 cup (125g or 4 3/8 oz)  Golden Syrup (can substitute dark corn syrup or a mix of honey and molasses) 

3/4 cup (115g or 4oz) - Plain / All Purpose Flour 

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground all spice

1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda)

1/8 tsp salt

Icing (recipe for glaze icing below)

Melt butter and syrup until butter is just melted and mix to combine either in a saucepan over low heat or in microwave using short 20 second bursts.

Sift in all the dry ingredients and mix until combined and no lumps are visable.

Pop into fridge to chill for 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F) fan forced. Dust counter lightly with flour, remove dough from fridge and give it a quick kneed to make it pliable.

Shape into 10 logs to place on baking tray, you can either do this by cutting the dough into two equal amounts, rolling each into a log about 35cm length and then cutting into 5 equal pieces around 7cm long.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, allow to cool for 5 mins on tray and transfer to cooling rack.

Once cool you can mix up some icing to decorate by simply dipping the cookies into the icing. Add decorations if you like.

Simple Egg Free Glaze icing I sometimes use royal icing for these cookies but here I have used a simple glaze icing. The icing was best after a day when it had set hard, but was still soft to bite through. Recipe will actually make enough for a double of the cookies.

1 cup sifted Icing sugar (powdered sugar)

3 tsp boiling hot water

2 tsp corn syrup (or honey)

1/2 tsp colourless vanilla essence 

food colour as desired.

Mix together ingredients

I love when people share my blog ideas and give credit. All posts contain original ideas, photography and recipes by Linda McCubbin unless otherwise credited. Please feel free to link back to my blog for non commercial purposes.

Yummy gingerbread cranberry muffins. Mix, mix just as fast as you can.

You better run, run just as fast as you can if you want to get some of these gingerbread and cranberry muffins. 'Cause they smell pretty delicious while they're baking and I like to eat them when they come out of the oven and are still warm.

But seriously don't stress, they are so easy that you can whip up another batch in no time so if they all get snaffled up.

I made up these gingerbread and cranberry muffins for the kids lunch treats yesterday and then I decorated the left overs for afternoon tea.

At this time of year it's easy to go into sugar overload and my kids diet has not been as great as I would like it. They have been having way more fast food than I would choose for them when they are out at other activities. We normally eat pretty well with lots of vegetables and I've noticed they are pretty tired and cranky at the moment.

But y'know sometimes I want to give them a treat and although I did decorate a couple super fancy for the photo's the actual muffin are wholemeal and have fruit in them so I didn't feel too guilty when I served them up.

Gingerbread Muffin (makes 12) recipe adapted from Sweets on a Stick
I send these to school unfrosted but for special occasions you can add the simple cream cheese, butter frosting (recipe below). Gingerbread decorations and sprinkles are optional, make your own or you can grab some ones like this from amazon like these EDIBLE GINGERBREAD MEN DECORATIONS or HEART SPRINKLES

2 1/4 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup olive oil (I use light which means light flavour not lo-fat)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup treacle
1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 160C (325F) and line 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until combined.

Spoon mixture into paper cases.

Pop in oven for around 23 minutes they are done when a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool on wire track.

You can eat while still warm

Simple Cream Cheese Butter Icing

30g cream cheese
30g unsalted butter
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

Mix together all ingredients until light and fluffy.
  

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission except for non commercial purposes where you may use 1 image, give credit and link back to original post.

Sweet Deer Cookies with silver leaf

I've been making super cute gingerbread deer cookies today.

Really I had planned to do this 2 months ago, so yes I'm just a little behind. I had this great idea for cupcakes with white chocolate Christmas tree shards and silver leaf and matching little deer cookies.

Then I went to make them and Oh My Goodness my deer cookie cutter was missing.

Greengate from Simply Sweet Home

It's kinda the sweetest little cookie and I just didn't want to make them without THAT cutter and I originally got it from Cakes by Bien but I wanted it quick so I had it sent from Cakers Bits and Bobs who are here in Australian and ship pretty fast so I got it within a day.

But then I realised I didn't order my silver leaf because, well because I was being cheap when I did the last online order and it can be a bit expensive. I was going to just pick up a little jar locally I figured it would work ok but then Oh My Goodness it was like $17 for a teensy weensy tiny jar so I decided to just order a whole book of transfer* sheets from Baking Pleasures which will last for cookies or sweets for ever (well not really but I don't use that much).

Then I kinda lost momentum.

But it's Christmas in a few days so I am baking like crazy and finally made them.

I tried them just white with silver leaf which was lovely and elegant, then with a little eye drawn on with edible marker, still adorable. Then I added a pink fondant nose and little pink ears which was super adorable.

Then I made some plain with the decorations and they worked out so well. I think gingerbread is the perfect colour just naturally with the spices for these little deer cookies and in fact the cutter is so sweet that the minimal decorating looked super dooper cute.

I guess the secret to these cookies is having a good gingerbread cookie recipe that will not spread out of shape so I've included my recipe below :)

Silver Leaf Elegant Deer Cookies
*I have used edible silver leaf on transfer sheet - not loose leaf which kinda flies all around the place for me. You can use the loose leaf if it works for you.

Deer cookies (see gingerbread recipe below)
White roll out fondant
Small plastic rolling pin
Deer cutter
Cornflour (or cornstarch)
Water and 2 clean brushes (used only for food)
Edible silver leaf transfer* sheet (I got mine at Baking Pleasures in Australia)
Optional - black edible marker



Knead white fondant until pliable, dust workbench with a little cornflour and roll out the fondant until quite thin. Cut out deer shape, brush water onto the cookie and then gently press the fondant onto the cookie.

Using a clean brush dab a teeny amount of water on the back area of the cookie. You just want the cookie to be slightly damp so wipe the brush on a paper towel to make sure it is barely wet.

Press the silver leaf transfer with the silver leaf facing down towards the cookie and rub your finger (or a cake tool) randomly on bits of the cookie. Pull the transfer off and allow the cookie to dry.

If you like you can add a small eye with the edible marker as shown in the picture.

Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
*Make sure that the spices you use are fresh as possible if you want your cookies to be aromatic and tasty. Conversions to imperial are approx.
I made these with both white sugar as per the recipe below and treacle (molasses, golden syrup, dark corn syrup) - the same weight and the recipe turned out well. I found it kept it's shape better with the white sugar which was important to me for what I was doing. The treacle gave a light fragrant undertone to the cookie and it had a more tender crumb, just putting the option out there for you. 

455g plain flour (1 pound all purpose flour)
2 tsp ground ginger 
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice (or ground cloves if you prefer) 
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa(US 1Tbsp + 1 tsp)
230g unsalted butter (8 1/8 oz) softened (not too soft
70g dark brown sugar (2 1/2oz)
70g white sugar 
1 egg

Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, salt and cocoa and set aside until required.

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter, brown and white sugar at high speed for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low, add the egg and mix until combined.

Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until the dough clumps together and is well combined.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until firm.

Once dough is firm remove from fridge and roll out on a workbench dusted with a little plain (all purpose) flour. You may need to knead the dough a little to make it pliable.

Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Place trays of unbaked cookies into fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160C (320F)

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on cookie size) remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes. Remove from trays carefully and place onto wire racks to cool completely. 

Greengate Summer White - It's what I'll be using for my Australian Christmas Setting

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! . Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores. 

This post is not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned and I purchased all the products myself however I am related to the owner of Simply Sweet Home

Amazon affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.

Rocky Road cookie candy fudge

I had a plan.

It was a good plan and it involved me being totally organised with teacher gifts this Christmas.

Now I'm not going to bore you with the details of this super amazing plan, but lets just say everything did not go according to plan which makes this year pretty much like the last few years.

Paper napkin Coco White Greengate from Simply Sweet Home

But I did manage to come up with this nut free Rocky Road which was in the plan so I'm calling this year a success.

Because I made this nut free I added some Oreo Cookies for a bit of crunch. I also used Turkish Delight, which I know not everyone likes or can easily find so in the recipe I just say to cut up your favorite candy bar or lollies instead and it will work out amazing.

Lidded bowl - Sophie Vintage bowl and lid available from Simply Sweet Home

Rocky Road Candy Fudge makes around 60 pieces, you can halve the recipe if you like. I used Lindt Milk Chocolate. Conversions are approximate in this recipe.


200g (7oz) white marshmallows 
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk (not low fat)
1/4 tsp salt
500 g (18 oz ) milk chocolate chopped into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 g (5 1/4 oz)Oreo Cookies
150 g (5 1/4 oz) marshmallows
165 g (5 3/4 oz) candy bars or lollies (I used Fry's Turkish Delight bars)
400g (14oz) milk chocolate extra

Line 2 trays 15cm X 20cm (6" X 8") with foil.

Chop up the cookies, marshmallow and candy in a large bowl (use a bigger bowl than shown in picture as you will need to mix in chocolate later.) I like to use scissors to cut marshmallows and candy.

Chop the 500g (18oz) chocolate into small pieces and place in a large bowl with the vanilla extract.

Pop marshmallows, sugar, evaporated milk and salt into a saucepan on medium low heat, stir until the marshmallows melt. Stir the mixture over the heat for another 5 to 7 minutes, do not allow it to boil.

Pour the marshmallow mixture into the bowl with the chocolate and allow to sit for a minute or 2.

Using electric mixer beat the chocolate fudge mixture for a couple of minutes at low speed. All the chocolate should be melted.

(note this is a picture from a previous fudge the milk chocolate fudge will appear lighter in colour)  

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, use the back of the spoon to level the mixture until it looks pretty smooth

Chop the remaining 400g milk chocolate in small pieces and melt in the microwave at medium heat for 2 minutes, allow to sit stir and then heat for a further 1 or 2 minutes, mix until smooth.

Pour just over half the mixture into the prepared marshmallow/cookies mixture and gently use spoon to try and coat as evenly as possible. Spoon the mixture onto the top of the fudge and press in as evenly as possible. Pour or spoon the remaining melted milk chocolate over the top of the rocky road fudge making sure that there are no bare candy bits showing.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

When the mixture is set, turn upside down on a cutting board and peel off the foil. Using a sharp knife cut fudge into desired number of pieces.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores. 

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog. Links to Simply Sweet Home are not sponsored however I am related to the owner.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.  

These are a few of my favorite things Christmas Edition roundup 2014

I love Christmas and I always have more ideas than time.

Plus I have so many favorite things from past years I want to make which makes it a super fun time full of baking for me but I don't always follow through with pictures and blog posts. Sometimes all I get is a quick Instagram picture (My Instagram CLICK HERE) and I'm off to the next treat on my list.

Yup if I've made it before chances are I won't be taking pictures so to solve that dilemma I'm posting a few of my favorite things on my list to revisit this year.

Gingerbread dress up cookie decorating party - forget the houses and make up batches of easy to decorate gingerbread people with little fondant clothes and accessories that the kids will have a ball decorating.

This is one of my favorite all time posts as my family had so much fun while I was taking the photo's and it's such a precious memory to me, plus there is even a picture of me included. CLICK HERE for full post and tutorial.

Oh Deer these cookies are so sweet. I adore these so much in fact I have a batch ready to decorate right now. They are perfect bit sized cookies and the cup edge gimmick is kinda fun. Plus you can always make them without the little cup edge hole and they are perfect sweet deer cookies. CLICK HERE for instructions.

Christmas nesting doll cookies - Quite a few years back I organised a cookie swap with a few other Australian cookie and cake decorators and it was such fun. These cookies remind me of how sweet and approachable everyone was despite the fact they all have such busy lives and businesses. Ireally wish I had of kept up with this tradition, it's on my wish list of things to do again. CLICK HERE for post

Ruffled 3D Christmas tree - I had this idea for a while for a ruffle rainbow cake but it was Christmas time so I decided to make a Christmas tree instead. I called it the Anit Fruit cake and it turned out to be just the right time it was a hit on Pintrest and I even did a version for The Cake Blog which was a lovely honor. The next year I made a Candy cane version. Each year I have a new idea, I'm really hoping I get time to make a different take on the cake this year. CLICK HERE for green ruffle Christmas tree instructions.
CLICK HERE for candy cane Christmas tree instructions.

Peppermint Cookie Fudge (that is all) - no really that is all I don't need to say anymore do I, I think you can see why this is in my list. CLICK HERE for recipe.

Christmas round up 2013 - See the below picture for last year's round up including that Pinata cake plus some seriously cute macarons and pretty sugar cookies. CLICK HERE for post.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores. 

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.  

Oh Deer these cup edge cookies are too cute

Oh deer these cookies are too cute to eat.

I joke.

Actually around here the cutest cookies get eaten first.

The cookies from these photo's ended up being eaten by the kids, they had them in their mini Greengate cups with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Yes those little kid size cups are unbelievably cute
from previous collection of Greengate CLICK HERE for link

They are smallish, around 6cm (2 3/4")  in size and are made from a regular (although super cute) cutter. I just cut out a little bit extra with the leg to make a bit to sit on the latte cups.

Deer Aimee cutter by Cakes by Bien CLICK HERE

See how I did that, yup no need to buy special cookie cutters at all.

These cookies were made using my gingerbread cookies recipe, it doesn't spread so much so there was no need to recut the little indent bit after baking.

CLICK HERE for gingerbread recipe.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.

Gingerbread people dress up cookie party

This year instead of slaving over a gingerbread house we made gingerbread people dress up cookies. It was fun, easy and I could let the kids eat one (or two) straight away without the stress of breaking up the whole house.

I baked up a big batch of gingerbread men and women (Cookie recipe here).

Then I quickly cut out some fondant clothes using the cookie cutter and the kids got to stick them onto the cookies with royal icing like a dress up toy.

I made sure there were stacks of clothes with different colors and accessories for the kids to choose from. Kids are amazing and see the world differently. I think it might be lovely to see the world with flower eyes :)

Oh my goodness my kids truly love this type of cookie decorating, just love it!

The Destroyer (being a creator), Bubble and I, Sweet and Bubble

Plus perfect for Christmas, well actually my kids want me to say it's perfect for any time ;)

The hardest part of all of this was coming up with a ginger cookie recipe that didn't spread too much (otherwise the fondant clothes would be too small for the cookies). But I spent 2 weeks testing my own recipe so y'all don't have to worry about that, just click on the link in the instructions below.

I made some little mini lollipops and candy canes as well, the kids thought they were super cool.

Note - I have in the past made similar dress up cookies for my daughter's birthday party - but these gingerbread ones are way, way, way easier - trust me. You can check out the original 'paper doll dress up cookie' inspiration HERE:

These are the original dress up doll cookies I made CLICK HERE to see details

Gingerbread people dress up cookies
Make the fondant/sugar clothes as per the instructions below. Once the clothes have set and become hard enough to pick up you can let the kids decorate the cookies by squeezing royal icing onto the cookie and sticking the clothes in place. They can also add gingerbread faces and other decorations as they like.

EDIT update: I've recorded an easy to follow youtube video tutorial here as well:


Gingerbread men and women cookies (Click here for Gingerbread cookie recipe)
Gingerbread men and women cookie cutters
Fondant various colours
Cornflour (cornstarch)
small rolling pin
sharp knife
frilling tool (can use toothpick instead)
Royal Icing (for final assembly)

Line a tray with parchment/ baking paper.

Gingerbread men fondant/sugar clothes
Roll out the fondant onto a workbench dusted with cornflour (cornstarch). Use the gingerbread man cutter to cut out shape and then the sharp knife to cut out the top and shorts (see picture below). If you like you can adhere shapes like a star onto the fondant cut outs. Place cut outs onto the tray lined with paper to dry overnight.

For striped shirt, cut out thin strips of fondant and press onto a contrasting color fondant with the rolling pin, then cut out shapes with cutter as described above. I added a thin strip of vertical fondant on the sleeve edge.

Gingerbread women fondant/ sugar clothes

Roll out the fondant onto a workbench dusted with cornflour (cornstarch). Use the gingerbread woman cutter to cut out shape and then the sharp knife to cut out the top and skirts (see picture below). Place clothes on paper lined tray to dry.

If you like you can make the skirts and edge of the top ruffled by using the frilling tool, press down on the fondant and gently roll back and forth. I also added a thin strip of contrasting color fondant to the sleeve edge of some tops before pressing down with the fondant tool.

You can also cut a second strip to make a 'pettiskirt' underneath, just use the frilling tool to roll back and forth and then stick it underneath the top skirt, you might need to add a small amount of water to adhere the 2 skirts together.

 To make a lace pattern on the edge use the sharp edge of the frilling tool (or a toothpick) to dot holes (see picture below for example).

Accessories

To make a lollipop you will need fondant in 4 different colours and a small length of spaghetti. Roll each colour of fondant into a long thin strip and the twist the fondant together. Starting in the middle wrap the twisted fondant around in a spiral to look like a lollipop. Push the spaghetti into the fondant lollipop disk.

 

The example in this picture only uses 2 colours and is bigger but same concept

 Small flowers pressed out of fondant make great accessories, I used a small ejector cutter.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.