Beetlejuice Cookies For Friday the 13th!
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Decorating time: 1 hour
For maple cookies
- 1.5 cups (187grams/6.6oz) all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (57grams/2oz) caster or superfine sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons (85grams/ 3 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
-
60ml/2.1flozs. maple syrup
-
Oval cutter
- Small round cutter (I used an apple corer as I couldn't find a round cutter small enough)
- White fondant
- Black fondant
- Black and yellow colouring gel
- 2 fine paintbrushes, 1 medium sized paintbrush
- Small quantity of simple icing (icing sugar mixed with water)
- White pashmak (Persian fairy floss)
Step 1 - In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda). On low speed, add the butter and maple syrup and mix until combined. Add more flour if the mixture is too sticky. Shape into a round and wrap in cling film. Rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Then tear off two large sheets of parchment and roll the rough out between the two sheets. Cut out oval shapes and carefully place on the lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until firm. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden (it depends on how thinly you've rolled them). Cool completely.
Step 3 - Roll out the white fondant and cut into oval shapes. Have a small bowl of water ready and dip the medium paintbrush into it and affix the white fondant oval to the cookie with a little water. Repeat for all of the cookies.
Step 4 - Roll out the black fondant and cut out large eyes and affix these to the face. Wash hands (sounds silly but they may have traces of black fondant on them) and then roll out eyeballs and a smile and attach these on using the water.
Step 5 - Start drawing features like the eyebrows and pupils. Trace around the mouth and draw in crooked teeth. Draw lines on the forehead and stubble/dirt around the face.
Step 6 - Mix a little black with the yellow to make a greeny yellow and colour in the teeth and draw around the edge of the face.
Step 7 - Spread the simple icing around the top and side edges of the cookie and attach some pashmak. This is done best before serving as the pashmak is very susceptible to melting in the humidity. Or just do this in an air conditioned room and it will keep better.