Sweetest Thing Reindeer Cookies for Christmas

Oh my goodness these cookies are just the sweetest things.

I am totally in love with the pretty pastel colors and the flying reindeer shape.

I'm calling the colors white, dusky pink and teal.....'cause that's the titles on the food color bottles. But I think you can also call the 'teal', mint green or perhaps seafoam.

I'm not really sure, sometimes I get a bit confused with all those fancy names :)

What I do know is that they look even more adorable in real life and that the teal color with white and a pop of red looks amazing.

Anyhoo......before you all ask......the cookie cutter.

Lots of you may already have it which is great news. I picked it up in a bucket of 100 cutters from Aldi (discount supermarket) last year, for around 10 or 20 dollars for the whole lot.

In the US I have seen them sold as Faberware sets or maybe Roshco 100 piece plastic sets, Amazon has them listed kinda expensive (see below) although I noticed a used one for a good price. Or maybe try Ebay.


Like I said you might already have it or be lucky enough to find a set, but if not you could pick up a similar one by picking up a flying reindeer like the one from the below link.


Now I know the flying reindeers do not have the lovely looking fragile antlers and legs, but that might be a good thing for some. I use a pretty good cookie recipe (the one from my cook book Sweets on a Stick) and the dough was pretty chilled, but I still rolled each cookie out on a square of parchment paper to make it easier to pick  up and pop onto the oven tray. Plus I needed to gently ease/push out the antlers and legs. Not unachievable, or even that hard, but kinda time consuming and not so kid friendly.

 But they do look soooo sweet so for me totally worth it :)

I'm kinda into the whole color scheme at the moment so I seemed to have a stack of stuff sitting around ready for some photo's.

Photo stuff Vendor/Stockists:

Ribbon sets - Tilda (I bought mine @ Sewco Mt Gravatt)
Mint Green Sandy Cup - Greengate (I bought mine @ Originated Shop)
Silver Christmas baubles - Spotlight
Paisley card stock - Tilda (I bought mine @ Sewco Mr Gravatt)

Before I start the tutorial - just a quick reminder that if you don't want to miss out on any posts you can subscribe for free up in the top right corner of this blog by entering your email address. I have lots of Christmas cookies and treats coming up so you won't want to miss a single sweet thing (and facebook is mostly unreliable for updates these days).

Sweetest Thing Reindeer Cookies
If you don't like fondant covered cookies you can follow the general directions using royal icing instead, well y'know piping instead of rolling out and cutting. Y'all get the idea :)

Reindeer cookie cutter
cookie dough (I used the recipe from Sweets on a Stick stockist details below)
White ready roll fondant (I used Bakels)
food color (I used Americolor Teal, Americolor Ivory, Sugarflair dusky pink and red)
Royal Icing (I mixed up a little premix with water)
Edible glitter in pink and silver
Small rolling pin
cornflour / cornstarch
brush and water

Roll out the cookie dough onto parchment paper and cut out reindeer shapes. If you cutter has fragile thin pieces make sure the dough is quite chilled and ease each section out with the base of a knife, or some other flatish thin tool.

Chill in freezer for around 15 minutes and then bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until just golden, remove from oven and allow to cool on baking tray enough so they are firm and easy to move without breaking. Place on wire rack to cool completely.

Take a tablespoon of the fondant and color red. Divide the remaining fondant into 3 evenish amounts. Leave one section white, color one section pink and then the remaining teal using 2 parts teal to 1 part ivory to make a color similar to the one in the pictures. (to color fondant knead it well and then gradually work in drops of food color until the desired color is achieved.)

Dust the work bench, knead the white fondant until pliable and roll out until a couple of mm thin (1/16th ") making sure to pick it up and turn often so it does not stick to the bench. Cut out a reindeer shape with the cookie cutter (ensure the cutter has been washed and is completely dry).

Brush a small amount of water onto the cookie and then gently press the fondant onto the cookie using the rolling pin to gently press it into place.

Repeat for remaining cookies until a third of the cookies is covered with white fondant.

To make the spots on the back of the reindeer, pipe small dots of white royal icing with a #2 tip.For the teal spots (on some of the white deers) I just used small balls of teal fondant pressed into place (use a tiny amount of water to stick if necessary).

To make the glittery reindeer noses lay the fondant covered cookies on clean parchment paper, pipe a small dot of royal icing onto the noses and then before the royal icing dries sprinkle a small amount of edible glitter directly onto the wet royal icing.

The red reindeer noses are just small balls of red fondant pressed into place (use a tiny amount of water to stick if necessary)

Wrapping paper Greengate - frameTarget

Linda Vandermeer is a mum, blogger and author of Sweets on a Stick: More than 150 Kid Friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go. You can pick it up at all good online book shops including these shops:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

I joined in the fun and added my link to:

Lollipop and Candy Christmas Tree Cake tutorial

Willy Wonka was one of my favorite movies growing up.

Oh how I wished to win a golden ticket and be transported to a place where everything was made of chocolate and candy.

OK I guess I'm not surprising anyone with that little revelation, and I doubt I was alone in my wish, but it might go a little ways to explaining why I am the way I am.

I think this Christmas cake is a little bit Wonka and a little bit Dr Suess. In fact originally I was going to make each of the layers a bit topsy turvy......but then I got a bit lazy. Well not lazy so much as I needed to do some other stuff.

'Cause oh my goodness it's nearly Christmas.

Anyhoo back to the cake - the inside cake is a cranberry, almond and hazelnut gluten free cake I created which was quite delicious and moist.

Decorations are handmade fondant lollipop and lime green sixlets* (little chocolates coated with a hard candy shell).

If you wanted to you could use a real lollipop in place of the fondant decoration. I chose not to as I find that they become a little tacky and sticky when left out unwrapped in our humid weather.

*Sixlets are available from Spotlight in Australia, in the US you can get them at Walmart and Target, if you can't find target just replace with another type of sweet.

Lollipop and Candy Christmas Tree Cake
NOTE - the first couple of pictures are from last years pretty ruffled tree cake and are green follow the written directions and use white fondant.

4 x 16cm (around 6") cakes - brown edges, tops and bottoms trimmed, ensure that the cakes are level
Cake board (16cm or around 6")
White chocolate ganache set at room temperature (make the day before assembling the cake)
large knife
offset spatula
White Ready Roll Fondant (I used Bakels brand)
Red Ready Roll Fondant (I used Satin Ice brand)
a small amount of green fondant (I colored white fondant with Americolor Electric Green)
large rolling pin
small sharp knife
small rolling pin
cornflour/ cornstarch
small brush and water
skewer
green sixlets

* Fondant dries out very fast. You must work quickly and keep in an airtight container when not in use. Knead well before use.

Using a small amount of ganache adhere one of the cakes to the cake board, spread a generous amount of ganache evenly on the top of the cake and then place a second cake on top of the first cake layer. Place into the fridge to set. Once set remove from the fridge and spread on an even layer of ganache on top of the second layer. Place the 3rd cake on top and pop the cake into the fridge for the ganache to set.

Remove from fridge spread an even layer of ganache onto the third cake layer and pop the 4th layer on the top, quickly pop a skewer or dowel in the center of the cake pushing it thru all 4 layers and return the cake to the fridge to set.

Once the ganache is set securely, use a sharp knife to shape the layers of cake into a cone. (I actually used some of the off cuts to make another layer which you can try if you feel confident with your carving)

Picture of last years tree cake.  This years cake was gluten free cranberry, 
sorry I didn't take any construction photo's this year.

Reserve any offcuts of the cake to make cake pops :)

Using an offset spatula spread the remaining ganache on the sides of the cake cone, making the sides as smooth as possible. I popped the cake into the fridge for the ganache to set and then smoothed on a final layer.

Smooth ganache all around the sides of the cake

Dust the workbench with cornflour (cornstarch) and using the large rolling pin roll out the WHITE fondant large enough to cover your fondant cone. I shaped my fondant into a rectangle which was tall enough in width to cover the cone from the bottom to the tip of the cone and wide enough to wrap around the base of the cone.

Picture of last years tree cake.  This years cake was white fondant, 
sorry I didn't take any construction photo's this year.
 

Pick the fondant up and wrap it around the cake cone (I'm using a fake styro one for these pictures), smooth the fondant down along the whole edge opposite where the seam will meet (that would be the middle of your large piece of fondant). Work quickly and carefully  working the fondant onto your cake until you get to the seam at the back, wrap one layer over the top of the other and using a sharp knife cut a straight seam down the back through both layers. You can then easily remove the top layer of overhang from one side. Then pull back the fondant to get to the underlayer of overhang and remove that. Push the seams together as neatly as possible.

Picture of last years tree cake.  This years cake was white fondant, 

sorry I didn't take any construction photo's.

Neatly trim any fondant overhand from the bottom of the cake using the sharp knife.

Roll out some of the red fondant until about 4mm thick and cut along rectangle strip (I made myself up a little cardboard template around 8cm X 2cm (3" X 3/4"), cut that strip in half longways and then do the same for the white.

Layer them on top of each other, you may need to brush the teensiest amount of water on each layer to make them stick.

Cut the layered strip in half longways to make 2 striped long strips.

Using a small rolling pin. roll out the striped fondant strips until they are quite thing and long. Trim the edge and roll it up a few cm's (1 ").

Brush a little water onto the cake and then stick the fondant to the cake by resting the rolled up section of the fondant strip on your baseboard (I was working straight onto my cake stand) and pressing the striped thin strip section up onto the cake.

Make more of the fondant stripes and work your way around the base of the cake using the same steps and technique, allow to dry until the rolled stripe sections are quite firm to touch.

Fold up little pieces of cardboard to make support stands (see picture below for example). I made mine so that the lengths of striped 'candy' fondant were approx 1/4 the height of the cake so I ended up with 2 rows.)

Make more of the striped fondant stripes with the rolled base and then attach them to the cake. The rolled section should be about a quarter of the way up the cake and the cardboard support should sit on the bottom row with the support just resting under the next layer to hold it up).

Continue working around the cake until that layer is complete, allow to dry until the rolled sections are firm to touch.

Using the above instructions and techniques complete another 2 rows so that the whole cake is covered in striped fondant 'candy' type decoration.

Make a fondant lollipop by rolling out a bright green and a red log of fondant about 20cm (8") long. Place the fondant together hold the ends and then twirl each end in the opposite direction so the twisted fondant looks like a rope. Gently roll a little with the palms of your hands to smooth out the 'rope' and then swirl the 'rope' around to make a lollipop shape (see picture). Place a wooden skewer into the base of the lollipop and allow to dry until firm.

Once all the rolled fondant stripes are dry on the cake you can carefully remove all the cardboard support structures, be careful not to snap any of the rolls off the cake, but if you do you can take a little extra white fondant, press it together with a small amount of water until it makes a very thick plaster like past and use it to stick the rolls back in place.

Using more of the white fondant paste (fondant mixed with a little water) stick on the sixlets (of your choice of sweet) in random spots around the cake.

Take the fondant lollipop on the skewer and push it into the top of the cake.

As long as your cake and frosting are not perishable cake can be stored/ used as a decoration (not in an airtight container or fridge) for about 4 days safely. Mine lasted well for 1 week.

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.

Sneak Peek - Lollipop and Candy Christmas Tree Cake

Introducing my Candy Inspired 3D Christmas Tree Cake.

I'm supposed to be baking delicious cookies for my demonstration class on Saturday........but I couldn't help but make time to whip up this Lollipop and candy inspired Christmas Tree when someone mentioned that there was only 6 weeks to go until Christmas day.

Is that true - Eeeek! Well I didn't check I just panicked and designed my Christmas cake for this year.

Anyhoo - the cake is a gluten free cranberry cake with candy inspired decoration made with fondant and then decorated with light green sixlets.

If you want the DIY instructions on how to make this cake make sure you subscribe (for free) to this blog by entering your details over there in the top right hand corner so you don't miss out when I post.......or y'know just keep checking back. It'll be soon, maybe Sunday night.

If this red candy inspired cake is not to your taste, you can always check out my Christmas Cake from last year - the ruffled Anti Fruit cake. If you are looking for the tutorial and instructions for last years ruffle cake CLICK HERE 

Oh well, now I have my Christmas cake sorted out for this year. I can focus on baking those cookies for the demonstration on Saturday, which by the way still has a couple of spots left I think.

It's on the 17th of November as part of Hands on Brisbane. I will be demonstration how I roll out the cookie dough, how I get an even finish and then decorate a range of cookies from elegant snowflakes to cute babushka snowmen and penguins. The demonstrations are very interactive and limited to 15 people so you can feel free to ask me as many questions about cookies or blogging that you would like. The sessions are on from 10:30am to 12:30 at the Bleeding Heart Cafe Brisbane and are $30. Tickets are available HERE. If you have difficulty booking pop me an email or facebook message me.

Linda Vandermeer is a mum, blogger and author of Sweets on a Stick: More than 150 Kid Friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go. You can pick it up at all good online book shops including these shops:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Peppermint cookie fudge

I was chatting with some of the other mums while we were waiting for the kids to finish zumba.

While our kids danced away participating in the schools active health program we were discussing delicious types of fudge and I came up with the idea of a peppermint fudge topped with Mint Slice Biscuits (like Mint Oreo Fudge Creams)*.

And then I went home and made some.

And it was delicious.

There are lots of different ways to make fudge these days and everyone has a favorite. In fact melting and mixing together chocolate and condensed milk can have a pretty yummy end result. But this recipe is based on a (not so) plain chocolate one I have had and used for about 30 years. Yup I used to make it as a kid. It takes a little more time and effort than the microwave melt and mix but I kinda like that process of mixing over the stove just like I used to in my mum's kitchen.

Of course if you have any left over it makes a fabulous Christmas gift.

*Mint Slice biscuits are an Australian biscuit (cookie)- you can replace with Mint Oreo Fudge Creams, Mint Creme Oreo's or regular Oreos or pretty much any chocolate type cookie you like. 

LAST CHANCE CHRISTMAS COOKIE DEMONSTRATIONS IN BRISBANE

Don't forget that I have the final Christmas Cookie demonstrations on the 17th of November as part of Hands on Brisbane. I will be demonstration how I roll out the cookie dough, how I get an even finish and then decorate a range of cookies from elegant snowflakes to cute babushka snowmen and penguins. The demonstrations are very interactive and limited to 15 people so you can feel free to ask me as many questions about cookies or blogging that you would like. The sessions are on from 10:30am to 12:30 at the Bleeding Heart Cafe Brisbane and are $30. Tickets are available HERE. If you have difficulty booking pop me an email or facebook message me.

Peppermint cookie fudge makes 20 large pieces or 60ish small pieces - the ones in the picture are large

200g (7oz) white marshmallows
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk (not low fat)
1/4 tsp salt
250 g (9 oz ) white chocolate chopped into small pieces
170 g dark chocolate (6 oz semi sweet) chopped into small pieces
85 g milk chocolate (3 oz) chopped into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
few drops green food colour (I use gel food color)
6 to 8 mint slice biscuits (6 to 8 Oreo mint fudge creams or regular Oreos)

Line a 20cm X 20cm (8" X 8") square tin with foil.

Chop the mint slice biscuits roughly into small pieces.

Place the white chocolate into a largish bowl with 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and green food colour.

Combine the dark (semi sweet) and milk chocolates in a separate bowl and add the vanilla.

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 half the marshmallow mixture into the bowl with white chocolate and the other half into the bowl with the combined dark (semi sweet) and milk chocolates. 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.

 
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, leaving a couple of tablespoons in the bowl to decorate with.Use the back of the spoon to level the mixture until it looks pretty smooth

Using a spoon or whisk mix the white chocolate mixture until all the chocolate pieces have melted. Spoon carefully onto the darker chocolate mixture and using the back of a spoon level the mixture until smooth.

Take the reserved darker chocolate mixture and spoon a 3 or 4 horizontal lines across the fudge. Take a knife or the flat end of a spoon and starting at the top of the pan pull the knife slowly towards the bottom (ie where you are standing) then move the knife over and starting at the bottom push the knife slowly back towards the top of the tin. This should make a marbled swirl. Continue until the whole top of the fudge has been 'swirled'.

Press the chopped cookies into the top of the fudge and place in the fridge to set for a few hours.

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 mum, blogger and author of Sweets on a Stick: More than 150 Kid Friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go. You can pick it up at any of these online book shops:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Rudolf Macarons Ginger spice latte macs for Christmas

Awe look at poor Rudolf the red nosed mac, all of the other mac's used to laugh and call him names......but then I took them to a party and someone ate them all:)

That'll teach 'em to be bullies, or not I guess.

Anyway I know I'm not the first to make Rudolf Macarons because like I always do when I get an idea I did a google search, you know not in a stealing ideas way but more in a 'are there already a stack of these out there cause if there are I'm not gonna do it way'.

I did find some pretty ones with little chocolate button noses and pretzel antlers HERE, but I thought my idea for a mini macaron nose was cute and different enough it was worth sharing, plus I had already made up the little noses and it seemed a great opportunity to use up some of those DIY royal icing eyes I make up :)

Because these are so Christmassy I am going to pop them over in the Mac Tweets Mac Attach # 25 Seasons & Holidays challenge.

I think this will be my last Christmas food post this year unless I get totally inspired by something that I MUST make.

and I know it's not cool to brag but I'm going to anyway - Although I do not normally make large cakes I can and I was featured on one of the most lovely cake blogs around Half Baked:The Cake Blog with my 3D ruffled Christmas Cake as one of the 12 cakes of Christmas. I was thrilled as there were a bunch of world renowned cake artists along side my cake, so if you love cake awesomeness you might want to pop over and check out the yumminess.

Rudolf Macarons

If your not into making your own macarons you could just use shop bought ones and they would still be as cute.....perhaps. Also you might then prefer to use red chocolate buttons (like M&M's) in place of the mini mac's.

Filled Macarons (recipe below)
Pretzels cut it half
Mini Red Macarons unfilled
1/2 cup royal icing in a ziplock back with a small corner cut out
edible premade eyes (make your own with left over royal icing see how HERE)
edible black pen - I prefer the americolor ones

Using a small amount of royal icing adhere the small red macaron 'nose' to the top of each macaron, then adhere the edible eyes. Push the half pretzels into the filling so it appears they stick out of the top to look like antlers.

Use the edible pen to draw on a mouth.

Alternatively you could ditch the premade eyes and just use the white royal icing to pipe a couple of circles for the eyes and then use the edible pen to draw on black pupils.

Macaron Shells makes around 20 filled macarons


190 gram (6 5/8 oz)almond meal (almond flour)
190 gram pure icing sugar (6 5/8 oz powdered sugar)
190 gram granulated sugar (6 5/8 oz)
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)*
brown food colour
Red food colour

*ageing egg whites refers to separating the yolks from whites and then leaving the whites to age for a few days. This can be done on the counter if your countries climate permits or in the fridge, wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and then pop a few holes in the top. Alternately you can pop the egg whites in the microwave on high for 10 seconds or so - I used the microwave method in this batch pictured.

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. Add colour and 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of the egg whites to the sugar/almond mixture but don’t mix in.

2. Place remaining 70g (2 1/2 ounce) of egg whites in bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk.

Yup - I really use this super old fashioned thermometer I have had for about 20 years to make my macarons

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 using a large spatula fold the mixture together until it starts to shine and forms a ribbon that disappears back into the mixture after about 30 seconds.

I don't use a piping tip - I just cut the end off the piping bag for macarons

6. Add the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip (or just cut the end of a disposable piping bag) and pipe in lines onto parchment lined baking sheets. To make the macarons as even as possible I apply a constant slow pressure to the piping bag and count a few numbers like up to 3 for each one.

Waiting to form skins after piping

7. Set aside for about 30 minutes or until the macarons have formed a skin so that the macaron mixtture does not stick to your finger when gently touched.

Baking in the oven. The macarons will rise after a few minutes in the oven and develop a frilly foot

8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 140C (285 F). Once ready bake the macaroons for around 13 to 15 minutes depending on size, they should not be browned. Remove the baking trays and immediately slide off the macarons and the parchment onto the work surface and let cool completely before removing the shells.

9. Once cooled match disks into like sizes and sandwich together using the ganache.

#For Rudolf macarons you will need to split out a small amount of mixture just after it is combined, leave it to the side until you have finished piping the brown macarons and then color the small amount of mixture bright red and mix until it is shiny and disappears back into into itself within 30 seconds. Put mixture into a piping bag and pipe out small round noses on another prepared baking tray.


Ginger Spice White Chocolate Ganache
The ration of chocolate to cream is quite high in this - it is full summer here where I live, you can increase the cream if you prefer a softer ganache or if it is very cold.

75g (2 5/8 oz) cream
300 gm (10 5/8 oz) white chocolate
1 Tbsp ground ginger (1 US tablespoon + 1tsp)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3tsp instant coffee
pink food colouring - I used Wilton gel colours

Bring cream to boil, remove a few tablespoons to a small bowl and mix in the instant coffee until dissolved pour the coffee mixture and the remaining hot cream over finely chopped white chocolate and stand 5 mins. Stir until all chocolate has melted and mixture is glossy mix in ginger and cinnamon. Allow to set overnight at room temperature of chill in fridge until just set.

I have provided a recipe for ginger spiced latte ganache above. In the pictures I have mixed the ganache with about 3/4 cup of Italian Meringue Buttercream to make it a bit fluffier for the piping and used a Wilton #22 tip. But you can just use the ganache as is and they taste great. The Italian Meringue Butter cream recipe is from The Whimsical Bakehouse cookbook which I have previously recommended HERE

Finally if you are looking for something fun to do with the kids this year over the Christmas Holidays check out my cookbook which is a US release and aimed at getting the kids in the kitchen with you and having fun baking up a storm with easy kid friendly recipes.....it's available at most online stores including these ones.

Amazon,


Or the book depository (Click HERE)

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)