Tag Archives: valentine

Personalized Heart Cookies

These cookies have been all the rage at engagement parties.  I have attempted to make them before but was never happy with the results.  Recently though, I found a royal icing recipe that I loved.  So when I was asked to make these cookies I was more than willing to redeem myself.  I am so pleased with how these black and white personalized cookies turned out!

Monogram Cookie

Here is how I made these.  I baked up my favorite sugar cookies and then iced them in white royal icing.  I love how smooth the royal icing looks.  Once the royal icing was dry and hard I stenciled on the bride and grooms initials.  Holding the stencil in place, I dipped a clean paintbrush (only used for food) into black gel food color.  I like using Americolor super black.  Before applying the gel color to the cookie, I like to dab some of the excess color onto a paper towel.  If there is too much gel color, it starts to bleed out.  Then using a good amount of pressure, I dabbed the food coloring onto the stencil.

Black and White Monogram CookiesNext, each cookie got a black royal icing border.  I used a number 2 straight tip fitted in a disposable piping bag to pipe the tiny shell border.  Finally, each cookie was decorated with a black fondant flower.  Each flower was attached with more white royal icing.

Personalized CookiesThe black and white color scheme give these cookies an elegant look, but they can be made in any color to match any party decor.  Order some for your next occasion!  Contact me for details.

I love making cookies, but sometimes my son Charlie isn’t so happy when he is being ignored.  He hates being locked out of the kitchen.

Charlie locked out

Look at his sad face…it’s too cute to ignore!

Charlie Cute

Don’t worry baby…mommy’s done!  Time to play!

Strawberries Dressed to the Nines

When the weather heats up, the last thing I want to do is heat up my oven and bake.  How do I satisfy my chocolate fix during the hot and humid New York summer?  Chocolate covered strawberries!  Just thinking about red, juicy strawberries enrobed in sweet, velvety chocolate makes my mouth water.

chocolate covered strawberries

I love using long stemmed strawberries but they are not always available.  These are just regular strawberries dipped in melted milk chocolate.  I melted the chocolate using the double boiler method.  If you have never done this, it’s simple!  Fill a pot with an inch or so of water and over low heat bring to a simmer.  Then place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot.  Make sure the bowl is not too small, it shouldn’t fall into the pot, you should be able to remove the bowl easily.  The steam that hits the bottom of the bowl will gently melt the chocolate.  Be careful because the bowl will get hot.  If you want to dress up the classic chocolate dipped strawberry, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it on top once the milk chocolate is set and dry.

White Chocolate Drizzle

Not so confident in your drizzling abilities?  Here is my new favorite idea.  Crush up some pretzels.  First dip the strawberry in chocolate and then immediately in the pretzels. These are ridiculously good!  The sweet and salty combination is divine.

Pretzel Covered Strawberries

If your strawberries are invited to a black tie event you might want to try these.  What is cuter than a strawberry in a tiny tuxedo?

Strawberry Tuxedos

These are a little more difficult to do.  The best strawberries to use are big and flat.  The bigger the better (and easier).  First dip the strawberries in melted white chocolate.

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries

They are delicious just like this!  They can also be drizzled with milk chocolate or dipped in crushed pretzels.  However, if you want them to wear tiny tuxedos, allow them to dry completely.  Then tilt the strawberry to one side and dip it in milk chocolate.  Then do the same for the other side.

Step TwoThe last step is to add the buttons and bow tie.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tiny round tip and fill with melted chocolate.  Pipe three buttons and two triangles for a bow tie.

All Dressed Up!

I bet you could use an edible food coloring marker to draw on the buttons and bow tie, but I haven’t tried it.  Let me know if you try it!

PS-What is your favorite no bake dessert?