Last Sunday at the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM, we had 464 people enjoying  the activity! Wow! Anyway we were ready with 500 cookies, thanks goodness! Once again I had the honor to present a project, this time the theme was “Art the Glitters, Gleams, and Glows” We decided to go for cookies this time, but really  I did not want to go to the classic cookie decoration, I wanted to present something different and easy.We topped regular sugar cookies, covered in royal glace with chocolates figures, and add colored crystal sugar. For a final touch made them glow with gold and silver powder. It was wonderful to see the glowing expressions on kids and parents faces as the shiny dust covered the dark chocolate.
And again a special “Thank You” for Amanda Muller ,  thank you for making every Sunday especial at the St Louis Art Museum ( Family Program). Thank you also to all the volunteers.For me it is a pleasure participate at the amazing SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM

Here are the recipes:
Sugar Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cups butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
peel from one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg yolks

Place the flour, sugar and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until it gets a sandy texture. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel and add the mix to the bowl. Press the dough as if you were making a snowball until all ingredients get together, do not kneed ( if you kneed to much gluten is going to be formed, something you don’t want for this cookies). Place the dough in a plastic bag, close it tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, (or longer, even up to a week) . Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness, cut out with cookie cuter (whatever shape your like) and bake for 8-10 min. the edges have to be golden, Let them cool down, decorate, have fun and enjoy.

Royal icing
1 egg white
A sprinkle of lemon juice ( very important if you want a white icing)
1 lb  (¼ kilo) powdered sugar

In a blender add all ingredients and mix at high speed until you can see a nice and stable foam. Turn off the blender and dip a spoon, turn the spoon upside down , the mixture must remain attached to the spoon , otherwise, it’s not ready. This icing is very difficult to store, if you need, put it very tied in a sealed plastic  container and keep for only a few hours. You will need to mix again every time you want to use it.
Decorate the cookies and let them set until the icing hardens.

See Activity ant the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM 2007

Lemon Christmas Cookies recipe

3 cups   all purpose flour
1 cups   butter (soft)
1 cup   sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
peel from one lemon
1 teaspoon   vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon  baking powder
3 egg yolks

Place the flour, sugar and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until it gets a sandy texture. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon peel and add the mix to the bowl.
Press the dough as if you were making a snowball until all ingredients get together, do not kneed ( if you kneed to much gluten is going to be formed, something you don’t want for this cookies). Place the dough in a plastic bag, close it tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, (or longer, even up to a week) .

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness, cut out with cookie cuter (whatever shape your like) and bake for 8-10 min. the edges have to be golden, Let them cool down, decorate, have fun and enjoy.

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