Iced Feathers #PagetoPlate #BookGroup

This is an iced sugar cookie that I have been making for years and years with slight variations on flavors. I originally started with a recipe from my cousin Tiffany who is a baker extraordinaire. My process is the same, but I change up the flavors with zests and extracts.

I made these as a goodie bag for my recent book group. We had read Theo of Golden by Levi Allen. I will share more about the book after I post all of my recipes from the dinner.

Funny story: it was not readily apparent what they were. In the group chat with my best friends, I got "Looks like a fish filet at first, but the longer I look at it, it looks like a leaf cookie." Another thought leaf, but it was the wrong color; also a flame, but still the wrong color. My elder son and husband thought they were peppers. Huh?! Only my younger son looked at them and, immediately, declared: feathers!

All of those comments made me think I shouldn't bring them to the dinner. But because they were on the cover of our chosen book, I was assured that they would get the reference!

Ingredients

Cardamom-Vanilla Sugar Cookies

• 2-3/4 cup flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup organic granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• zest from 1 organic lime (I used an organic Bearrs lime), approximately 2 teaspoons

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste (you can use vanilla paste or extract)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Royal Icing (my Royal Icing on #CulinaryCam)

• 3 egg whites, or more to thin icing

• 6 cups organic powdered sugar

• juice from 1 to 2 organic lemons (I used Bearss limes)

To Finish

• food dye (I used a natural dye)

Procedure

Cardamom-Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, zest, vanilla paste, and ground cardamom. Mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, until completely combined.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill dough for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out and shape dough with your cutters, using flour to keep them from sticking. Place on a silicone mat-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 9-11 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Cool completely on wire racks. Make the royal icing while the cookies cool.

Royal Icing

Beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Add sugar and lime juice. Beat for another minute. If the icing is too thick, add more egg whites; if it's too thin, add more sugar.

To Finish

Smooth the royal icing over cooled cookies. Add details. For these, I added a neutrally colored icing and gave a quick swipe with a fork. I had initially tried a pastry brush and a clean toothbrush before I settled on a fork. It wasn't perfect, but it worked.

Stay tuned for the other recipes I made for Theo of Golden.