Elegant Jewelled Snowflake cookies

I made up a list and I checked it twice,

trying to work out who was naught and who was nice.

But seriously my nice list way waaay too long and I really had to cut it back.

In the end I sent out just a few of cookie packages to a couple of people on my nice list.

Well actually the people that I did a cookie swap with last year because I forgot to organise one this year.

It seems Noo from Dessert Menu Please had the same idea and the day after I posted out my treats I received a package with a cracker and inside the sweetest hand drawn little festive cookies :)

Follow random pictures of my life on instagram: http://instagram.com/p/Tewm3zwlAy/

Above is a picture that I posted on my new instagram account. If your following me there you may have seen a few random photo's of my new creative/craft space and other random pictures of my life.

Anyhoo the cookies I sent out are an updated version of the elegant snowflake cookies I made a few years back but I added jelly gems.

Which by the way I am a bit smitten with at the moment.

Oooooohhhhhh Jelly Gems, so pretty..........

The actual cookie was a Christmas inspired cinnamon and cranberry sugar cookie. You can find my recipe in the free online Christmas edition of 'Tickle the Imagination' Magazine if you CLICK HERE.

The original decorating tutorial for the Winter Wonderland Snowflake cookies has a recipe for plain vanilla sugar cookies if your not keen on the Christmassy version. CLICK HERE for the original post and recipe. 

and thank you all so much for reading this year, it always brightens my day to receive comments or see my treats pinned.

From my family to yours wishing you safe and happy Holidays.

Xx
Linda V

Elegant Jewelled Snowflake Cookies

Sugar cookie dough
Snowflake cookie cutter (mine from Bisk-art)
Decorative stamp or embosser
White fondant#
Small plastic rolling pin
brush and water
Jelly Gems
2 round tip (mine was Wilton)
Royal Icing (I used queens royal icing mix from Woolworths - just add water)
Piping bag with small tip
 
edit update - I have a youtube video tutorial on how to make sugar cookie dough

#Fondant dries out pretty quickly so I work with a little fondant at a time covering one or two cookies. The remaining fondant I leave wrapped in a little cling wrap/ glad wrap until I need it.

Line a couple of trays with parchment paper.

Make up batch of sugar cookie dough, chill, roll out on workbench lightly dusted with flour and cut out snowflake cookies.

Pop the cookies onto the prepared trays and put in the freezer for around 15 minutes.
 

Meanwhile preheat over to160C (320 F) and then bake cookies for around 12 - 15 mins.

Remove from oven when they just start to become golden and using the small end of the icing tip quickly remove a small hole from the center of each cookie.

Ooops - no photos of the cookies with holes in them. Just use your imagination :)

Knead fondant until pliable and roll out on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour and using the same snowflake cookie cutter cut out the snowflake shape. Make sure the cookie cutter is clean and dry before you start cutting.

Brush a tiny amount of water onto the cookie and then adhere the snowflake fondant cut out to the cookie, gently rolling on with a small rolling pin if required.

Take the #12 tip and press down to remove a round of fondant from the center of each cookie. I needed to poke it out with the end of my brush.

OK just imagine there is a hole in the middle - I didn't get a picture of one :)

Using a clean foodsafe stamp or embosser press into the middle of each cookie to make a pretty indentation.

Pipe a circle of royal icing around the edge of the round hold in the center of each cookie and place a jelly gem inside using the royal icing to glue it into place.

Pipe decorative dots on the cookie as desired.

Leave out until royal icing is set.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a week.

....................

Recipe, photo's and post by Linda Vandermeer 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)

Cranberry Christmas cake - Gluten free cooking

I have to be honest generally when I see a cake that is gluten free I mostly shudder. I'm not talking about macarons, or meringues or many of those treats that are meant to be made without the inclusion of flour.

I mean the modified versions of traditional cakes.

Sometimes they are done really well and sometimes..........well it's best not to talk about it.

This cranberry cake is from the first list in that it is meant to be made without the inclusion of flour like a traditional dense and moist flourless nut cake.

But with the exciting addition of cranberries and cinnamon.

The idea for this cake came to be after I was given a kilo of dried frozen cranberries and wondered what in heavens I would do with so many.

I was just about to start work on my lollipop and candy inspired Christmas Cake for this year and with the addition of a little red food color to match the bright exterior this new cake creation was perfect.

 (DIY tutorial on how to make this 3D cake here:  Lollipop and Candy Christmas Cake )

Shop the photo vendors
White plates and bowl from Ikea
Gold fork Christina Re (I picked mine up at DJ's)
Vintage pink tea cup set, cake server and tea strainer
Pink Tea Towel (vintage) Ulster and Weaver 

Sweets on a Stick

and if anyone is looking for last minute Christmas presents in Brisbane, the Bleeding Heart Cafe has copies of my book available right now for purchase. You can email inquiries to: info@bleedingheart.com.au

Flourless Cranberry cake
To make your cake red simply add 1/2tsp red gel food color to the mixture when adding vanilla, if required add more color until the desired shade is achieved.

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
3 cups water
1 stick cinnamon

175g (6 1/8 oz) almond meal (ground almonds)
50g (1 3/4 oz)hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts)
200g (7oz) sugar
1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract


Place cranberries, cinnamon stick and water into a pan, bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, remove from heat and allow to cool. Discard cinnamon stick, drain mixture through a sieve and reserve cranberry compote (you can reserve liquid to drink or as a drinks mixer if you like).

Preheat oven to 170C ( F) and grease and line a 20cm round baking tin. (I used a springform).

In a large mixing bowl combine almond meal, hazelnut meal, sugar and baking powder.

In a food processor, pulse the cranberries for about 30 seconds.

Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla processing after the addition of each egg. The mixture will be quite frothy and light.

Add the nut mixture and process until well combined. Use a spatula to scrape around the bottom of the bowl to ensure all mixture is combined.

Pour cake batter into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes in tin and then turn out to cool on a wire rack.

Recipe, photo's and post by Linda Vandermeer 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 love you more than Christmas kids lunch treats

Sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind.

Live a little, love a lot.

Eat sugar sprinkles.

Sushi, fruit, yogurt and healthy sandwiches are great lunch box staples for the kids, but sometimes I like to sneak in a surprise treat like these Christmas sprinkle sandwiches# with a happy note.

When I was growing up we used to call this type of sugar sprinkle sandwich fairy bread and it was a party staple.

I'm sure you don't need the instructions on how to make them but I'll share anyway :)

Take super fresh white bread. Spread with butter, sprinkle one half with sugar sprinkles (non-pariels), cut out a cute Christmas Tree shape on the other half and then press together firmly.

If you don't have green sprinkles don't worry, just use whatever you have handy.

Use a sharp knife to remove crusts (this is an essential step with fairy bread).

Write a note and slip it in the lunchbox with your sprinkly treat.

I used ejector Christmas Tree cutters which came in a set but you can just use regular mini tin cutters, it will work out just the same.

# If you just can't bring yourself to feed your kids sugar for lunch don't despair. Low fat cream cheese spread and sprouts will look awesomely fun too :)

Linda Vandermeer is the 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)