Decorated Shortbread Cookies - butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Whip the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla seeds (split the pod in half and scrape the inside with the tip of a knife).
• Stir in the flour gradually.
• If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour.
• Once the dough forms into a ball (do not over-knead the dough to avoid making it elastic), roll out on a floured surface and cut out with cookie cutters.
• Bake about 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies are barely browned.
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixer bowl fitted with the whisk. Mix on medium speed, gradually adding water and vanilla extract.
• If coloring is desired, add food dye now.
• Whip for 8 to 10 minutes. Set icing aside in cling film (in contact with the icing) and cool. The icing can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator, which is why meringue powder is used instead of fresh egg white, to
• reduce the risk of salmonellosis.
• Once cooled, decorate the cookies. Start with the cookie's contours using a piping bag.
• Once the cookies with contours are done, fill in contours using a small spoon.
• Doing the edges of the cooky is a bit of a long task, but necessary in order to have beautifully and cleanly decorated shortbread cookies.
• Cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.