Bobbette & Belle make scary treats

COOKIE  DOUGH

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

METHOD

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap fully in the plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

4. Put oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. (If it starts to crack, let it rest for a few minutes  to warm up slightly.) Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 36 rounds. Arrange the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between each round.

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch and they have minimal colouring. For even baking, rotate the sheets  front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. If you would like to decorate your cookies with a simple royal icing finish; follow the Royal Icing recipe on page 238, including the instructions for turning  the royal icing into flood for dipping cookies. If you would like to try the piped flower decoration,  turn  half the batch  of royal icing into flood and follow the steps to the dip the cookies. Use the remaining half to follow the steps on page 219 to create flowers.

ROYAL ICING:

4 cups icing sugar

4 large egg whites (½ cup)

METHOD:

1. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. Place the bowl on the mixer and fit it with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 of the egg whites. Increase the speed to medium-low and mix until combined. Add the remaining 2 egg whites and mix on medium speed for 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once.

3. Cover the  bowl with  plastic  wrap  or  transfer to  an  airtight  container.  The royal icing will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and then beat.

To make the royal icing a suitable consistency  for dipping sugar cookies, water has to be added.

1. In order to dip the tops of the cookies and achieve a smooth surface, water has to be added to the Royal Icing (above) to create a “flood” consistency. Add water

1 teaspoon at a time, stirring after each addition until well combined. The royal icing will have reached the flood stage when, if you lift some with a spoon and drizzle it back into the bowl, it smooths out in 8 to 10 seconds. You want the icing to be thin enough that it will even out once dipped, but thick enough that it will hold its shape and not run off the sides of the cookie as it dries.

2. Hold a cookie upside down and dip the top, but not the sides, in the icing. Pull it out and hold it over the bowl, still upside down, for about 5 sections so that any excess can drip off. Turn the cookie upright and place it on a wire rack or clean baking sheet to dry. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Set them aside for a full 24 hours to dry. If it is not very humid, it may only take 12 hours. Royal icing dries to a very hard consistency, so it is easy to tell when they are ready. The decorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.