Butterfly cookies

Dessert Sinsations & Design
Barbara O’Hara

These cookies make great place markers or a whimsical take-home treat for guests. Leave time to decorate cookies, as each takes about 30 minutes. You will need the following special tools: concentrated paste colour, royal icing (the recipe is included here, but O’Hara insists that Wilton Meringue Powder is just as good and easier to make), 4-6 piping bags, couplers, rings, a Wilton tip #2 and tip #3, and a butterfly shaped cookie cutter.  

Ingredients
Cookie
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Royal icing
2 egg whites
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Assorted paste colours

Method
Cookie
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Cream butter. Add vanilla and almond extract, then the granulated sugar and salt. Beat well.
3. On low speed, gradually add the flour and beat, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Turn out dough onto a large board and gently knead until combined. Dust board lightly with flour and roll out to 1/4″ thick. Cut out butterfly shapes and place cookies onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment or lined with silpat.
5. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are slightly puffed. These cookies are done before they brown. Let cool on the cookie sheet and then place gently on wire rack.
Royal icing
1. On medium speed, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gradually add sugar, then lemon juice. Consistency should be spreadable, not runny. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use.
2. Separate icing into various containers, depending on the number of colours you want. Add paste colour to each a little at a time. Mix thoroughly.

To decorate
1. Secure tip #2 to piping bags. Fill each bag with a different colour of icing. Pipe border around cooled cookies. Let dry.
2. Empty excess icing from bags back into original containers. Slowly add water to remainder of icing until consistency is a thick liquid, but not runny. Fit piping bags with tip #3 and fill each with icing.
3. Fill in surface of butterfly cookies. Let dry 24 hours. Continue decorating as desired.

Yield 12 cookies