Sugar Pastry Cookies Food

THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES FOR DECORATING

Steps:

• For the dough: Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the egg and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the speed to low again and slowly pour in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture, in 3 additions, increasing the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters as needed. Once all the flour is just incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and bring it together. Divide into 2 even pieces. Shape each piece into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• To roll, cut and bake the cookies: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dust another sheet of parchment paper with flour and put 1 piece of the dough on top. Dust with more flour and top with another sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out between the parchment sheets into a square about 1/4-inch thick (about 11-by-9 inches) and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• From 1 piece of rolled dough, cut out cookies with a 2 1/2-inch cutter and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate while you cut the remaining cookies. Reroll any scraps of dough and repeat the freezing, cutting and refrigerating process until all the dough is used.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets front to back and bottom to top about halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets set on a wire cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes (adding up to 1 tablespoon more water, if needed). Tint with a few drops of food coloring as desired.
• Fit a pastry bag with a small round tip and fill it with the icing.
• Pipe royal icing on cookies with the design of your liking and let dry for 30 minutes.

PALMIERS (FRENCH PUFF PASTRY COOKIES)

Steps:

• Thaw out puff pastry, but make sure it stays chilled. You want it pliable (chill it again if it gets warm and sticky). Puff pastry should already be 1/8 inch thick - if not, roll it out to that thickness.
• If your pastry cracks you can seal it together with a little water and your finger.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or a section from a brown paper bag to fit.
• Spread SUGAR on the counter like you would flour to roll out dough.
• Lay out one sheet of pastry (keep 2nd sheet in fridge for now). Sprinkle the top with sugar as if you were rolling the dough out.
• Take the two sides of dough and fold them in towards each other halfway to the center and press down lightly.
• Then take the folded edges and fold them in to meet in the center. Then fold them together like closing a book, it should look like a U shape.
• Cut into 3/8 inch slices with a sharp knife and place on cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with a light coating of sugar and place in the oven for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Work on the second sheet at this time.
• Pull out and turn cookies over and sprinkle that side. Bake 3-5 minutes more or until center is done and edges are golden.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool, then store in an airtight container.
• Optional items: Use cinnamon sugar in place of sugar.
• The glaze can be drizzled over the top to finish it off.

SUGARED PUFF-PASTRY TEA COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• While the puff pastry is still mostly frozen but somewhat pliable, unfold it onto a work surface and cut it into 3-by-3/4-inch rectangles. If your puff pastry has seams, cut along these seams and then cut into rectangles. Transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/4 inch of space between cookies.
• Whisk the sugar, egg white and lemon juice together in a medium bowl until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is thick but spreadable. Using a pastry brush or an offset spatula, evenly spread a thick layer of the sugar mixture onto each cookie, using all the sugar mixture.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the sugar topping is golden and shiny, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool on the pans. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SUGAR PASTRY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine flour and butter in mixer, mix for few seconds.
• Add sugar and salt and bring it to breadcrumb stage.
• Add the egg and cold water if needed.
• Take care not to overwet.
• Mix until it forms into a ball.
• Allow to rest in a cool place before using.
• Fill with whatever pie ingredients you're using.
• Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

EASY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl; set the mixture aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
• Once combined, slowly blend in the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
• Searate dough into tablespoon-sized balls.
• Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Place on center rack and bake for 5 to 7 minutes (or until golden brown). Let the cookies sit for 2 minutes before cooling on wire racks.

SUGAR PASTRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour and salt.
• Add butter by rubbing it with your hands.
• Add sugar. MIx very well using hands.
• Add 4 tbsp of water.
• Chill for 20 minutes.
• Form into cookies.
• Bake in the oven till golden brown.