Valentine's Sugar Cookie

For Sugar Cookies: In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour (or overnight) or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (.6 cm). (Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure the dough does not stick to the counter.) Cut out shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you may want to sprinkle the unbaked cookies with colored crystal or sparkling sugar.

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until they are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Frost with royal icing and sparking sugar, if desired. Be sure to let the royal icing dry completely before storing. (This may take several hours.)

Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container. Store between layers of parchment paper or wax paper.

Makes about 20 - 3 inch cookies.

For Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg white with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

For Royal Icing with Meringue Powder: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (about 4 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water. To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the cookie with icing, the proper consistency is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for a few seconds before disappearing.

The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

Sources:

Ojakangas, Beatrice. The Great Holiday Baking Book. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis: 1994.

Pappas, Lou Seibert. 'the Christmas Cookie Book'. Chronicle Books. New York: 2000.

Yard, Sherry. 'The Secrets of Baking'. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York: 2003.



Valentine's Sugar Cookies:

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

1 large egg white

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups (165 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

or

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

2 cups (220 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 tablespoons (15 grams) meringue powder

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/4 cup - 1/2 cup (60 - 120 ml) warm water

Food Coloring (I use Gel Pastes that can be found at cake decorating and party stores or else on-line)



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