Decorated Sugar Cookies (Back to School)

  its Daring Baker's Challenge for September. The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking. A sugar cookie is a cookie made from sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and either baking powder or baking soda. Sugar cookies may be formed by hand or rolled and cut into shapes. They are commonly decorated with frosting, sprinkles, or a combination of both. In North America, decorated sugar cookies are particularly popular during holidays such as Christmas and Halloween.Now popular for special occasions celebrations as baby showers and weddings.  September is not only the month but a theme for the challenge.  Whatever happens in our life in September, that’s what  our cookies to be about.
 Isn't sound great?

 Yes as I read the challenge I was super excited because love to being creative and now its time to use my wilton's decorating set . Decorated Sugar cookies always look soooo cute. My elder two were excited and couldn't wait to try these gorgeous treats. Specially Zainab who is about eight years old and has intense interest in baking. She like to be with me in kitchen specially when I am baking  always  gathering ingredients for me, cutting cookies and licking beaters. For this challenge she found 100's of cookie ideas on internet for inspiration.

Zainab is flooding Flower Cookies

According to the challenge we must make the Basic Sugar Cookie recipe provided (unless specific diet restrictions apply) and must make our cookies with the theme of September, whatever that means to us.
For me September is time Back to School  ..... hey I am not going to school but my kids.
 obviously I chose the theme for my cookies is Back to School. It doesn't mean that I 'll not try some other shapes I think my daughters would like to decorate some flowers and butterfly too. here you can see our work.

Theme of the month Back to School

for writing and black colour I used melted chocolate

now some spring time cookies

Spring 

Butterflies 

Spring Spring Spring

S' more flowers

Brush Painted Cookies

It's Tea time

Basic Sugar Cookies:

Makes approximately 36 x 10cm / 4 inch cookies

200g / 7oz / ½ cup + 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

400g / 14oz / 3 cups + 3 Tbsp All Purpose / Plain Flour

200g / 7oz / 1 cup Caster Sugar / Superfine Sugar

1 Large Egg, lightly beaten

5ml / 1 tsp Vanilla Extract / Or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Directions:

Cream together the butter, sugar and any flavourings you’re using. Beat until just becoming creamy in texture. Tip: Don’t over mix otherwise you’ll incorporate too much air and the cookies will spread during baking, losing their shape. Beat in the egg until well combined, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sifted flour and mix on low until a non sticky dough forms. 

 Knead into a ball and divide into 2 or 3 pieces. Roll out each portion between parchment paper to a thickness of about 5mm/1/5 inch (0.2 inch) Refrigerate for a minimum of 30mins. Tip: Recipes commonly just wrap the whole ball of dough in clingwrap and then refrigerate it for an hour or overnight, but by rolling the dough between parchment, this shortens the chilling time and then it’s also been rolled out while still soft making it easier and quicker. 

Once chilled, peel off parchment and place dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or a sharp knife. Arrange shapes on parchment lined baking sheets and refrigerate for another 30mins to an hour. Tip: It’s very important you chill them again otherwise they’ll spread while baking. Re-roll scraps and follow the above process until all scraps are used up. 

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan Assisted) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Bake until golden around the edges, about 8-15mins depending on the size of the cookies. Tip: Bake same sized cookies together otherwise mixing smaller with larger cookies could result in some cookies being baked before others are done. Tip: Rotate baking sheets half way through baking if your oven bakes unevenly. Leave to cool on cooling racks. Once completely cooled, decorate as desired. Tip: If wrapped in tinfoil/cling wrap or kept in airtight containers in a cool place, un-decorated cookies can last up to a month.

Royal Icing:
315g – 375g / 11oz – 13oz / 2½ - 3 cups Icing / Confectioner’s / Powdered Sugar, unsifted
2 Large Egg Whites
10ml / 2 tsp Lemon Juice
5ml / 1 tsp Almond Extract, optional
Directions:
Beat egg whites with lemon juice until soft peaks. Tip: It’s important that the bowls/spoons/spatulas and beaters you use are thoroughly cleaned and grease free. Sift the icing sugar to remove lumps and add it to the egg whites. Then beat for another 8 minutes. Don't stop process before given time no matter if you have reached the desiring consistency. If your icing is too much thick then add water little (drops)  by little .
 Tip: I’ve listed 2 amounts of icing sugar, the lesser amount is good for a flooding consistency, and the larger amount is for outlining, but you can add even more for a much thicker consistency good for writing. If you add too much icing sugar or would like to make a thinner consistency, add very small amounts of water, a few drops at a time, until you reach the consistency you need. Beat on low until combined and smooth. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container. Tip: Royal Icing starts to harden as soon as it’s in contact with air so make sure to cover containers with plastic wrap while not in use.
Decorating your cookies: Flooding
“Flooding” a cookie is a technique used when covering a cookie with Royal Icing.
1. You outline the area you want to flood which
helps create a dam.
2. Then fill or flood inside the area you’ve outlined.
 I used medium consistency for both either is outlining or flooding.