I've already
posted about using royal icing to make cookie monograms, but take a look at a twist on that technique. Recently, I took a cupcake decorating class taught by Karen Tack of
Hello Cupcake and I've been reading a wonderful blog,
Bakerella. Both Karen and Bakerella use candy melts to do some beautiful decorating, so I thought I would give them a try for monogramming cookies.
Candy melts are easy to find. WalMart even has a limited supply in their craft section. They are simply melted (on the stovetop or microwave) and they are ready to use. Food coloring and/or flavoring (they taste like chocolate on their own) can be added to them. Pour the melted melts into a disposable decorating bag fitted with a plain tip...I used a #2 tip.
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I needed "g's" for some baby shower cookies I am making for this weekend...more on those later. I printed out G's and traced the letters on wax paper, just like using royal icing. While they were still wet, I sprinkled white non-pareils on top. Once a tray was filled, I popped in the fridge for a few minutes. Once set, the letters can be removed from the paper and stored in a container at room temperature.
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Here's the big difference between candy melts and royal icing monograms, the candy melts peeled off the wax paper like a dream! No breakage, whatsoever!
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The only drawback I see is that the "white" candy melts are not white, but more of a white chocolate color...creamy. This might pose a problem trying to match a monogram color to a royal icing color on the cookie. At the cake decorating store, I think I have seen
white food coloring. Has anyone used it? If the store wasn't a hour from my house, I'd run down and pick up a bottle right now!
I just couldn't bear to throw out all of the extra melted goodness :) last night, so I made a little something for my son's breakfast this morning.
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