Doctor Bag Cookies

I made these cookies for a recent graduate.  Can you tell that he is now a doctor?! I tried to make different looking doctor cookies than these cookies.

I searched online for different images of doctor bags.  This is the one that my design was based on.

To make these cookies, I used my favourite sugar cookie recipe and a square cookie cutter. Before baking, I added a lollipop stick to each cookie to make each one into a cookie pop. To make the doctor bag on top of the royal icing, I used an edible pen to draw the image onto the cookie like I did here. Then, I traced over it with black royal icing.  

Finally, I used an edible ink pen to write Dr. Daniel Abramowitz below each doctor bag.

Each cookie was individually wrapped.

Congrats Dr. Abramowitz!

Cookie Pops for a Baby Naming

A few months ago, I made cookie pops for center pieces for a baby naming. The cookie pops served a dual purpose; Not only were they focal point at each table, they were also given to the guests at the end of the party. Talk about practical!

I'm sure you have figured out by now that the baby girl's name is Jenna! To make the letters in her name I used the same technique as I did here, using parchment paper and a chosen font from Microsoft Word. The font that I used was Curlz MT. This time, I used royal icing to make the letters. This meant that I had to make extras since they were quite fragile. To make the dark purple letters above, I immediately sprinkled the royal icing letters with purple sugar crystals and let them dry overnight. Had I only done the same for the pink and light purple letters...

But I didn't...The method that I used for the cookies above was a little more time consuming. Once the pink letters dried overnight, I gently removed them from the parchment paper. After flooding the cookies with purple royal icing, I placed each letter in the center of a cookie. The cookies needed to dry completely overnight before adding any sugar. The next day, I retraced the letters with a little more royal icing and added white sugar crystals. It was helpful to lay the cookies on a piece of wax/parchment paper.  This way, the excess sugar can be poured back into a bowl to be used to add sugar to the next set of cookies.

Here's a side profile!

Making cookie pops is quite simple. The way that has worked best for me is simply sticking the lollipop stick about halfway into the raw cookie dough after it has been cut and placed onto a parchment lined cookie sheet that is ready for baking. The cookies are baked with sticks in them at the same temperature as regular cookies. Above, are the three different combinations of cookie pops that I made for the center pieces.

I used both longer and shorter lollipop sticks.

I think they turned out pretty cute!

A fun and original center piece.

For my sugar cookie recipe, click here.

For the recipe that I use to make royal icing, click here.

Congratulations to Jenna's family!

Bakerella in T.O.

What a day!

I would never in a million years have thought that this would lead to this! Which would lead to this followed by this!  This brings us to December 4, 2010.  The day that Rich and I met Angie Dudley, a.k.a. Bakerella! 

Saturday Morning:

Saturday began with a thrill for Rich and I since Bakerella was in town for the signing of her new book, Cake Pops.  All of the excitement took place at Williams Sonoma on Bloor Street. 

What was even more exciting...

As soon as we got to the store, the employees at Williams Sonoma knew exactly who we were (once Rich mentioned our names) and led us upstairs to meet with Bakerella.  She gave Rich the biggest hug and began to tear up as soon as she saw me. It was the first time we had met in person.  She is definitely one of the sweetest people we have ever met.

Beside her in the photo above is Roseanne Dela Rosa, associate editor of Weddingbells magazine.

As soon as she finished her interview with Angie, she interviewed Rich and me for an article she will be writing for an online feed of Wedding Bells. That was pretty cool! Rich was super excited!

Saturday Afternoon:

By this time, it was well after the noon hour. After Angie answered many questions from her fans, she began the signing...She brought Rich and I right to the signing area (no line up for us). I noticed one girl whisper to her mom, "Mom, that's the couple who got married on Bakerella's site!" That was hilarious!  As we sat beside her so she could sign the book, she asked all of the fans in line if they remembered us.  No joke, people actually started cheering. It was nuts! We were a famous couple...for a few minutes anyway! 

The message written in fuchsia pink was perfect!

In this shot, she was eyeing my labels on the back of the cupcake sugar cookies I baked for her.

These girls were by far the most creative "gift bakers." Carolynn, (in the middle) drove in all the way from Ottawa just to have her book signed and meet Bakerella.

She and her friend Candy created their own original "Canadiana" to welcome Bakerella to town.  They included the most amazing moose and beaver cake pops! (Way, way more creative than my cookie pops.)

For those of you who would like a lesson on these cookie pops...here goes...they were were pretty simple to make.

I decided on cupcakes since Bakerella loves everything cupcake!

I used a skittle for the cherry on top and stuck it to the cookie with royal icing.

Then, I piped and flooded the cookie with more icing and added a few sprinkles as a garnish! Simple as a cupcake!  For my sugar cookie recipe, click here. For the recipe I use to make royal icing, click here. 

Saturday Evening:

Saturday evening was the "icing on the cupcake!" The rumours are true.  We went out for dinner with Angie and her mom!  And we had a blast! All joking aside people....Rich and I had dinner with BAKERELLA! We went out for dinner with the next Martha Stewart! The picture above was awesome...how funny is her mom?!  She was cracking up because as soon as our dessert, (buttery, phyllo pastry crepes filled with melted white chocolate and fresh blueberries) arrived at our table, Angie and I both took out our cameras and began shooting photos! I got a great shot of her taking a picture of the dessert!  

What a day!  It certainly was a memorable one for us. Thanks Angie, for including us in your first trip to Canada. We hope to meet again, perhaps on your next book tour?! 

Have you ever met a star before?

Baby Cookie Bouquet

Congrats Sher and Al on the birth of your beautiful baby girl!

I was waiting for my girlfriend Sherri to have her baby to use these adorable baby cookie cutters.  I knew that I wanted to make cookie lollipops.

Before I "planted them into the pot," I had to take some pictures in the colorful cake stand that my friend Sarah bought me for my birthday! It's actually three tiers from the cutest store little tea salon in San Francisco called Crown and Crumpet. Above is the smallest tier.

And this is the middle sized tier.

Onto the Cookie Bouquet...I bought some craft supplies from Dollarama, including a terra cotta pot that was painted pink with the help of one of my former students...thanks Stephanie! Since I could not find a large enough piece of styrofoam, I used a piece of foam similar to what could be used to make a floral arrangement. It held the cookie lollipops in place. I had pink ribbon that said, "It's a Girl!" as well as brown tissue paper and cellophane that I used to wrap the bouquet.   

This is what it looked like before it was wrapped.

And this is what it looked like after!

I think it's pretty cute!

It's a Girl!

Our friends Clare and Jason had a baby girl on Wednesday, February 10th 2010, at 4:57 a.m.!  We are so happy for them! 

I decided to try something new to bring to Clare and Jason as part of their delivery present.  I added sticks to my cookies to make them lollipop cookies!  Before baking, add sticks through the middle of the dough until just below the tops of the cookies. Bake as usual. 

Aren't they adorable? I love the onesie cookie cutter.  I couldn't resist!

Clare and Jason named their baby, Liv Aliyah and we were thrilled to meet her earlier this week!

Congratulations!