Frosted Pink Roses

Before we jump into red & green, can we have a shot of pink, please?

I really wanted to call these Winter Roses, but I guess since it's still fall, I'll have to go with "frosted."  I love an open rose shape, but couldn't find a cutter to match, so years ago, I made a template.  Once you realize that making your own templates enables you to make ANY shape you'd like, the world is your oyster...cookie...whatever.

If you've ever made a cookie with dots, or marbling, these are made using the same method...the swirl is adding on top of the wet flood icing.  But, if you'd prefer a raised outline instead for these flowers, here's an example.

You might know that I'm usually torn as to whether to add sanding sugar or not....remember the "trees of indecision?"  These were no exception.

In the end, I made some fully sanded, sanding on the swirl only, and not sanded at all.  And now you know why it takes me an hour and a half to pick out a lipstick...indecision.  I must work on this.

OK...let's make Frosted Rose Cookies. You'll need:

• sugar cookies made from a template
• royal icing, divided and tinted with AmeriColor Deep Pink, Soft Pink, Leaf Green & Electric Green
• disposable icing bags
• couplers and tips: #2
• squeeze bottles
• small ramekin
• small (clean) paintbrush
• sanding sugar
• meringue powder

Use a #2 tip to outline the cookie shape in pink icing.

Use another #2 tip to outline the leaf in leaf green.

Thin the pink icings with water, a bit at a time, stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a thick syrup.  You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand two." Four is too thick, one is too thin.  Count of 2-3 is good.  Cover with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.

Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed.  Pour into squeeze bottles.    

Working 6-8 cookies at a time, fill in the outline with the thinned flood icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air bubbles.

Starting with the first cookie flooded, add the swirl in the contrasting color.

Thin the green icings as described above.  Flood the leaf in the darker green, and add a lighter green stripe right down the center, just as adding the swirl.

Let the cookies dry, uncovered, 6-8 hours, or overnight.

The next day, apply the sanding sugar.  Mix 1/4 teaspoon meringue powder with 1/4 teaspoon water.  Brush onto the cookies wherever you'd like the sanding sugar to stick.  Over a basket-style coffee filter, shake the sanding sugar onto the cookie, and shake off the excess. (Use the filter like a funnel to pour back into the container.)

Let dry 30 minutes before packaging.

Alright...bring on the red & green.