Shortbread Christmas Tree Food

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE:.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and flour until dough forms. Roll out dough onto parchment lined baking sheet and using powdered sugar to prevent sticking, cut out shapes. Set scraps aside to be used on the next sheet.
• Bake 12-16 minutes until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and smooth by placing parchment paper over the top of freshly baked cookies and press down flat with a slightly smaller baking sheet. Allow to cool.
• PIPING AND FLOODING ICING:.
• In stand mixer blend egg white with 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar and red food coloring. Once mixed place half in a large piping bag with a large round tip (This is your flooding bag). Add a cup of confectioners' sugar to the remaining frosting in the stand mixer and beat until mixed. Scoop this mixture into another piping bag with a small tip. using this bag pipe along the edges of your cookies. Once done use the flooding bag to flood your cookies. Use a toothpick or needle to pop any air bubbles that form immediately after piping to ensure a smooth surface.
• Use leftover thicker frosting to pipe additional details and glue cookies together to form a tree.

SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; with a pastry cutter, chop in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the rum extract and almond extract into the water in a small bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients, a little bit at a time, until the mixture holds together in a ball when you squeeze it.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface, and sprinkle with flour; roll out into a sheet 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters, and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake the cookies just until the edges are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Cool completely before decorating.
• For frosting, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl until smooth. If desired, divide frosting into small bowls, and tint each bowl a desired shade with food coloring. Frost fully cooled cookies, and sprinkle with edible glitter before the frosting sets.

ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk flour, rosemary and sea salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-1/2 by 2-1/2-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. If desired, decorate with colored sugar., Bake until edges begin to brown, 14-16 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and enough water to reach desired consistency. Divide frosting and add food coloring. Decorate cookies with frosting and nonpareils.

SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof (parchment) paper. Sift the flour and rice flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix.
• Cut butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture begins to bind together. Knead into soft dough.
• Roll the dough into an 8 inch round (or for exact round, mold it in an 8 inch cake pan). Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top and make tine marks along edge. Using a table knife, score top with wedge marks. (This is where it will break when cooled)
• Bake 45 minutes or until pale golden in color. Sprinkle a little superfine sugar over top and cool on baking sheet. Cut into wedges. Keeps for weeks in airtight tin.