Gatsby and Deco Cookies

I have been dreaming of making these Deco Cookies styled by the Jewels of New York ever since I saw them floating through the world of Pinterest. Here I have used a basic cut-out cookie recipe, but styled it like the Jewels have.  See their works of art here.  I really admire the team at Jewels NY because they not only make the kind of food you want to feast on, but also style it in a way that is elegant - focusing on all the right details.  

All dolled up I hopped on the tube with a plate of these cookies to have with my friend Yvonne before we went to see The Great Gatsby at the Gate Picturehouse of Notting Hill. The theatre made the movie complete with us sitting in velvet chairs in spacious rows with a little mahogany table in between for our popcorn as our eyes were dazzled. ♥

I find that cut-out cookie recipes usually come in huuuge amounts - here's a small batch to make a nice plateful of cookies.  Because I have no geometric cookie cutters I made a template of shapes I wanted and cut around them with a knife.

Decorating Cookies

5 TB of unsalted butter, softened (70 g)

5 TB golden caster sugar (90 g)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour (150 g) + extra for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add the egg and vanilla until all the wisps are mixed. Stir in the dry ingredients all at once. It may not look at first like there is enough liquid to bind everything together, but keep stirring and it will begin to join. Take care to not overmix. Form the dough into one solid ball and refrigerate for at least one hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and prepare a cookie sheet with a layer of baking paper. Sprinkle your counter top generously with flour and roll your dough out overtop it. Cut or carve out your cookie shapes and place on the  sheet with enough room to grow. For small shapes bake for 5 minutes, for large bake 8-10.  Leave on the tray for a minute before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Frosting

1 cup icing sugar (100 g)

2 tablespoons of milk (30 ml)

1 tablespoon of corn syrup/golden syrup (15 ml)

natural food colouring

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until the mixture is smooth.  Separate the frosting into pretty little bowls and add a drop or two of food colouring. Do not ice until the cookies are completely cool. Sprinkle lovely things like flowers, bobbles, and poppy seeds while the icing is wet. Paint with gold dust when icing has completely set or else it will crack. 

♥