Good Housekeepings Ornamental Frosting Food

ORNAMENTAL FROSTING

Steps:

• Cut or stir margarine or butter into confectioners' sugar.
• Cool, if melted butter or margarine used.
• Add egg whites, vanilla and cream of tarter.
• Beat well.
• Stir in milk or beet juice a little at a time, until mixture is of spreading or barely pouring consistency.
• Tint with food coloring, if using.
• Spread on cookies or place cookies on rack over waxed paper and pour frosting over them, spreading as needed.
• Frosting can be refrigerated for several days.
• Add more liquid if needed.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'S CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar until blended. On high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed, beat in eggs and vanilla, then flour mixture just until blended, scraping bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Divide dough into 8 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 piece of dough to scant 1/4-inch thickness; keep remaining dough cold. With floured 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes. With wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.
• When cookies are cool, prepare frosting and decorate cookies. Allow frosting to dry. Store cookies in tightly sealed containers with waxed paper between layers, at room temperature up to 2 weeks or in freezer up to 3 months.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'S ORNAMENTAL FROSTING

Steps:

• In bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and water until blended and mixture is so stiff that knife drawn through it leaves a clean-cut path, about 5 minutes.
• Tint frosting with food colorings as desired; keep surface covered with plastic to prevent drying out.

REALLY, REALLY GOOD (AND EASY!) BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Put butter, milk, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer (if you don't have a stand mixer, a hand mixer will do).
• Mix on low speed until it just starts to come together, about a minute.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Increase to medium low speed and beat for about another minute.
• Increase mixer speed to medium high and beat for about another or minute or so.
• Add powdered sugar (and cocoa, if using). Beat on low speed until sugar is just barely incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and increase speed slowly to medium. Beat for about a minute.
• Check your consistency. This is very important because if your frosting is too thick, it will not spread well.
• If your spatula does not glide through the frosting, add about a tablespoon of corn syrup and beat on medium for about 30 seconds.
• When the frosting is just holding its shape, it is too thick (if you are wanting to pipe some decorations on your cake/cupcakes, now would be the time to set a little of this aside in a separate bowl).
• Add another tablespoon of corn syrup and beat on medium for 30 seconds.
• Repeat until the frosting seems to be of a good spreadable consistency (you don't want it too runny, or it will slide off the cake/cupcakes).
• Once you get your frosting to a good, spreadable consistency, increase mixer speed to medium high and beat for one minute. This will get your frosting nice and fluffy.

ROLL-OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 400F degrees.
• In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with electric mixer.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Mix flour and baking powder.
• Add 1 cup at a time,combining after each addition.
• You will need to add last 3/4 cup by hand.
• Do not chill dough it will be stiff.
• Divide dough into 2 balls.
• On floured surface roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Use any cookie cutter and cut away.
• Bake for 6-10 minutes or until light brown.
• Enjoy!