These sparkly ginger owls are an adorable take on gingerbread men. We've chosen to decorate with snowy colours, but there's enough icing for you to play around with different shades.
- Portion size 30 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living: Holiday Baking 2014
Ingredients
Royal Icing:
Method
In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg, fancy molasses and cooking molasses. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture in 2 additions just until combined. If necessary, knead gently to form dough. Divide dough in half; shape into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Let dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes. Between waxed paper or on lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using 3 1/2- x 2 3/4-inch (9 x 7 cm) oval cookie cutter, cut out shapes, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Using tapered end of cookie cutter, cut half an oval from tops of cookies to create owl ears. Arrange, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets.
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in 325°F (160°C) oven just until firm, about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans for 1 minute; transfer directly to racks to cool completely.
Royal Icing: Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat meringue powder with 1/2 cup water until foamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in icing sugar until stiff and glossy, about 9 minutes.
Using black food colouring, tint 1 cup of the icing light grey and cover with damp towel; tint 1 cup of the remaining icing medium grey and cover with damp towel. Tint one-third of the remaining icing black, one-third of the remaining icing orange and leave remaining icing white; cover bowls with damp towels.
Spoon one-third of the light grey icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe outlines along edges of cookies. Let stand until dry, about 15 minutes. To remaining light grey icing, gradually add water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until mixture is consistency of molasses. Spoon onto centres of cookies; using toothpick or skewer, spread to piped edges, popping any air bubbles. Let stand until dry, about 1 hour.
Spoon one-third of the medium grey icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe outlines of wings onto owls. Let stand until dry, about 15 minutes. To remaining medium grey icing, gradually add water, 1/2 tsp at a time, until mixture is consistency or of molasses. Spoon inside border of wings; using toothpick or skewer, spread to piped edges, popping any air bubbles. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle wings with decorating sugar; let dry completely, about 1 hour.
Spoon white icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe eyes onto owls. Spoon orange icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe beaks. Spoon black icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe claws and eye pupils onto owls. Let dry completely, about 1 hour.
Nutritional facts per cookie: about
- Sodium 49 mg
- Sugars 21 g
- Protein 2 g
- Calories 160.0
- Total fat 3 g
- Potassium 132 mg
- Cholesterol 13 mg
- Saturated fat 2 g
- Total carbohydrate 31 g
%RDI
- Iron 9.0
- Folate 8.0
- Calcium 3.0
- Vitamin A 3.0
