Pudsey Cookies
This past weekend I decided to use my Pudsey cookie cutter (a gift from my future MIL). I've had it for a while and I've used it before to make bear cookies for Christmas, but this is the first time I decided to make them in honour of the Children in Need telethon.
(And yes, I know it's a bit odd for a Yank to know anything about this much less have an interest in it.)
The official broadcast was last Friday, but I didn't set about baking the cookies until Saturday night. Saturday nights are my oldest son's and my stay up until the wee hours of the morning watching animé. So to help me stay awake (as I'm odd and dislike coffee), I typically bake goodies for Sunday. This time I opted to pull out my Pudsey cookie cutter and bake some cookies. I have to admit, it is a bit time consuming to do and not something I'd typically spend the time doing, but as I said, I try to cook or bake something to keep myself alert while watching television.
These were quite time consuming to decorate. I used white chocolate to make the white spotted bandage that he wears, yellow icing for the body and a black icing pen for the features. Oh, yeah, the sprinkles to make the colourful dots in the bandage. As I placed them all individually into the white chocolate, it was quite time consuming. I had a limited time before the chocolate set. The yellow icing took less time as I basically just spooned it on then spread it with a butter knife and left them to finish setting on a rack. I made them in small batches so that the cookies had time to cool before I started icing them.
But in the end, I was quite pleased with the result. I ended up making my boys wait until they were all done and set before they were allowed to eat them.
The boys seemed to enjoy them although one did complain about the hint of lemon in these cookies. I have to say of the many sugar cookie recipes I have used through the years this was the best. I only wish I could remember where I found it.
Sugar Cookies ( makes 2 1/2 dozen cut outs between 2 1/2"-3 1/2")
Ingredients:
3 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Milk
2 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Finely Shredded Lemon Peel
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add Sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla & lemon peel. Beat in as much flour as you are able with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll half the dough at a time, between sheets of waxed paper, to 1/4" thickness, sprinkling bottom sheet of waxed paper with flour if cookie dough sticks (you shouldn't need much if any at all). Cut with desired cookie cutters. Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm & bottoms are barely light brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!
(And yes, I know it's a bit odd for a Yank to know anything about this much less have an interest in it.)
The official broadcast was last Friday, but I didn't set about baking the cookies until Saturday night. Saturday nights are my oldest son's and my stay up until the wee hours of the morning watching animé. So to help me stay awake (as I'm odd and dislike coffee), I typically bake goodies for Sunday. This time I opted to pull out my Pudsey cookie cutter and bake some cookies. I have to admit, it is a bit time consuming to do and not something I'd typically spend the time doing, but as I said, I try to cook or bake something to keep myself alert while watching television.
These were quite time consuming to decorate. I used white chocolate to make the white spotted bandage that he wears, yellow icing for the body and a black icing pen for the features. Oh, yeah, the sprinkles to make the colourful dots in the bandage. As I placed them all individually into the white chocolate, it was quite time consuming. I had a limited time before the chocolate set. The yellow icing took less time as I basically just spooned it on then spread it with a butter knife and left them to finish setting on a rack. I made them in small batches so that the cookies had time to cool before I started icing them.
But in the end, I was quite pleased with the result. I ended up making my boys wait until they were all done and set before they were allowed to eat them.
The boys seemed to enjoy them although one did complain about the hint of lemon in these cookies. I have to say of the many sugar cookie recipes I have used through the years this was the best. I only wish I could remember where I found it.
Sugar Cookies ( makes 2 1/2 dozen cut outs between 2 1/2"-3 1/2")
Ingredients:
3 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Milk
2 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Finely Shredded Lemon Peel
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add Sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla & lemon peel. Beat in as much flour as you are able with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll half the dough at a time, between sheets of waxed paper, to 1/4" thickness, sprinkling bottom sheet of waxed paper with flour if cookie dough sticks (you shouldn't need much if any at all). Cut with desired cookie cutters. Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm & bottoms are barely light brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!