Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour
1½ t ground cinnamon
1½ t ground ginger
½ t ground cardamom
½ t ground cloves
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
3 to 5 T hot water
½ t baking soda
Royal Icing
1 egg white at room temperature*
2 to 2½ cups sifted powdered sugar
½ t almond extract
Place flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves in medium bowl; stir to combine.
Beat brown sugar and
butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and
fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Place water and baking soda in
cup; stir until baking soda dissolves. Beat into butter mixture.
Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until dough forms,
scraping down side of bowl once. (IF dough is too crumbly, add more
water, 1 T at a time, until dough holds together)
Form dough into 2 discs; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets; set aside.
Working with 1 disc at a
time unwrap dough and place on lightly floured surface. roll out dough
with lightly floured rolling pin to 1/8" thickness.
Cut dough with floured 3" pig shaped cookie cutter. Place cutouts 1" apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Gently press dough
trimmings together; reroll and cut out more cookies (Rerolled dough will
produce slightly tougher cookies than first rolling)
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Remove cookies iwth spatula to wire racks; cool completely.
Prepare Royal Icing.
Spoon Icing into pastry bag fitted with writing tip. Decorate cooled
cookies with icing. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.
Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.
Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Royal Icing
Beat egg white in small
bowl with electric mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 2 cups
powdered sugar and almond extract. Beat at low speed until moistened.
Increase mixer speed to high and beat until icing is stiff.
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 T milk
2 t vanilla
¼ t almond extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
6 T seedless raspberry jam
Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 t vanilla
Beat
butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed
until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in egg,
milk, vanilla and almond extract until well blended, scraping down side
of bowl once.
Gradually
add 1½ cups flour. Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down
side of bowl occasionally. Stir in enough remaining flour with spoon to
form stiff dough. Form dough into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat
oven to 375°F. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces. Rewrap 3 dough piece and
return to refrigerator. With floured hands, shape each piece of dough
into 12" long, ¾" thick rope.
Place
ropes 2" inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a lengthwise ¼"
deep groove down center of each rope with handle of wooden sppon or
finger. (Ropes will flatten to ½" thick strips)
Bake
12 minutes. Take strips out of oven; spoon 1 T jam along each groove.
Return to oven; bake 5 to 7 minutes longer or until strips are light
golden brown. Cool strips 13 minutes on cookie sheet.
Prepare
Glaze Drizzle strips with glaze; let stand 5 minutes to dry. Transfer
strips to cutting board. Cut cookie strips at 45° angle into 1" slices.
Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; cool completely. Repeat with
remaining dough.
Store tightly covered between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.
Makes about 5½ dozen cookies
Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 t vanilla
Place all ingredients in small bowl; stir with spoon until smooth.
Makes scant ¼ cup glaze
