Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Watercolor Fondant Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

 
 
Dear Readers, in my last post I wrote to you about going to Cookie Con in Salt Lake City.  After that wonderful, creative experience I could not wait to get back to the kitchen to create.  Okay, so I will never be like those cookie artists I featured in this post, but I want to try and share with you quick and fun cookie art ideas. 
 
I will never be making these kind of cookies, but oh how I admire their talent!
 
 
 At Cookie Con I learned to put fondant on cookies.  I learned the water color technique from the talented host of Key Art Studio.  So here goes.  This is such a fun and easy technique!  No mistakes here, but if you don't like the way the coloring was applied, you can just peel off the fondant and try again, and that my friend is a wonderful thing! Try doing that with a royal icing cookie!
 
This is my favorite of the bunch!
 
 
So you just make some wonderful cookies.  I use this recipe, but you can use any recipe.  I like my sugar cookies thick and light on the bottom.  Then either buy or make some fondant.  I used the Wilton recipe for marshmallow fondant here, which I think is a good recipe.  I use a bit of almond flavoring, and I do think the marshmallow fondant tastes good on the cookie.  Roll out your fondant and then either place fondant under your cookie and cut around your cookie; the fondant tends to pull and stretch.   Or you can  out the fondant with a cookie cutter.  Of course, if you cut out the fondant with a cookie cutter, you will have to stretch it out a bit because your cookie will most likely have spread a bit.  So it is not a perfect world even in cookie land; each has its disadvantages so you choose. 
 
I chose using a cookie cutter to cut the fondant.
 


 
Place a bit of water on the back of the fondant cut out, and then apply the fondant to your cookie.  Remember you most likely will have to stretch it a bit, and then smooth it a bit.
 

 
Put a taddle bit of lemon extract, maybe a cap or two, into a container along with some food coloring.  This is just the liquid food coloring that you used to dye eggs with when you were a kid. 
 
 
Then take a bit of some paper towel and dab the towel into the lemon extract and food coloring.  By the way, the lemon extract smells so good when you are working with it ;).  Now, I want you to relax and have some fun.  Just a little tattling about myself.  I don't care too much for cutting out cookies.  I do not care to much for making fondant or royal icing, but I LOVE DECORATING THE COOKIES!!

Now press the paper towel with the coloring on the cookie.  You can vary the look by how you press the paper towel on the cookie.  



Then add another color.  I would stick to just a few colors -- no more than four.  Using a lot of colors might make a muddy cookie!
 


Let the cookie dry.  The alcohol  in the extract will help it to dry.  You don't want to use water because it will take a long time to dry and you will risk having a soggy cookie!
 
After drying you will have some marvelous and unique cookies.  I did these by myself, but I think they would be a fun cookie craft for you and some "littles."  I just love the look of them!
 
 
A little flower wanted to be "water colored too."
 
 
 
Just a funny story about cookie making.  I had a few ladies over to my house for a meeting last night.  I had made these cookies during the day and was letting them dry.  Of course, I showed the ladies the cookies, BUT didn't offer them any to eat!  Why not, they were drying and I hadn't photographed them yet for my blog!  Ya Ya, the life of a blogger -- show them your cookies, but don't let them eat them!
 
Thanks for dropping by my Red Couch today.  Make some cookies for those you love!


10 comments:

Lynn said...

They turned out great Joni! I love the technique and fondant is on my list of new things to try:@)

La Table De Nana said...

So nice to share your techiniques..:)

Kind of like the sponging effect we used to give ceramics..love the extract idea..
I agree not crazy about making the fondant but like working with it..much cleaner lines on the cookies..Great job!

Jacqueline said...

These turned out so cute and springy!
I love the little flower. How funny that you showed the ladies but didn't let them taste. Maybe they can come back later!
I love the homemade fondant and so easy to do.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

So pretty Joni and it looks like fun. you can be so creative. Looks like spring time and perfect for Easter.

Marigene said...

Those cookies are adorable. I didn't know the tip of using an extract instead of water...thanks for sharing!

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

These cookies are so adorable, perfect for spring. Love your technique.

Alycia Nichols said...

Bwahahahahahaha!!! I have done that, too: show off some creation, but not be able to offer it up because it's not yet photographed! I think most of my friends and family have come to know and understand. If not, they had better catch up! :-)

You and your sister....SO creative and talented! I'm not much of a cookie baker, but I sure can appreciate the artistry! Bravo!!!

Bonnie said...

Beautiful Joni. It was so fun to meet you. I'm afraid I will just have to admire your cookies. I can't bring myself to try one more new hobby. Yours are so pretty.

Debbie@Mountain Breaths said...

I admire people that can make art out of cookies. Your cookies are beautiful and you shared a fondant that I would like to try. And I love that you can peel it off if you make a mistake. LOL

Debbie said...

So creative! I didn't even know there was such a thing as Cookie Con. I would love that. I may not be the greatest cook in the world, but I am a legendary cookie baker, at least in my own mind.

I have been so busy that I missed the previous post so I'm going back to read about it. It must have been wonderful!

Engageya