Sugar Poinsettia Recipes

POINSETTIA PINWHEEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat the cream cheese, butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour and salt until combined. Divide the dough between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Flatten each into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with more flour as needed.
• Cut out 3-inch squares using a sharp paring knife or a 3-inch square cutter (you should be able to get 6 or 7 squares). Lift the cutouts using an offset spatula and arrange 2 inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets. Re-wrap and refrigerate the dough scraps while you shape the pinwheels.
• Cut a 1 1/2-inch slit in all four corners of each dough square to form 8 points. Fold over every other point and press into the center of the square. Refrigerate while you make the leaves.
• Cut enough leaves out of the scraps using a sharp paring knife or a leaf-shaped cutter, making 2 leaves for each pinwheel. Arrange the leaves on the other prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with green sanding sugar. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Lightly brush the pinwheels with water and sprinkle half with red sanding sugar and half with white sanding sugar. Brush the end of 2 leaves and tuck underneath a pinwheel on opposite sides. (No need to press the dough; it will meld together as it bakes.)
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately press a chocolate candy in the center of each warm cookie. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with the remaining disk of dough, and any remaining scraps, to make more cookies.

POINSETTIA COOKIES

Steps:

• With a paddle attachment beat butter, cream cheese and egg yolk until smooth, reserving the white for later. Stir in flour and baking powder. Mix until stiff dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Lightly beat egg white and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• On lightly floured surface, roll dough, 1/2 at a time, into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle. With sharp knife, cut dough into 3-inch squares. Place 3 inches apart on ungreased, parchment-lined cookie sheets.
• Brush with egg white. Lightly press about 1 1/2 inches of wooden stick into bottom center of each dough square. With sharp knife, cut the dough diagonally from each corner to within 1/2-inch of center of each square. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon red sugar over each square. Fold alternate corners of the square to the center to form pinwheel, overlapping the dough at the center pushing down gently to seal in center. Press one M & M in center of each pinwheel.
• Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until set. Using spatula, immediately remove from cookie sheets.

SUGAR POINSETTIA

Steps:

• Sift 3/4 of the sugar into a bowl and stir in gum tragacanth. In a separate bowl combine water and gelatin. Heat to dissolve (do not cook), remove from heat and add glucose. Pour gelatin mixture into center of sugar and mix with a wooden spoon until kneadable. Transfer to table which has been dusted with confectioners sugar, and knead until smooth. Coat lightly with shortening, wrap tightly in plastic and store in refrigerator, or freeze until needed.;
• Dissolve gum arabic in water while bowl is covered with a damp cloth. Store in refrigerator. You can transfer it to a small clean nail polish bottle for use. This mixture will be used to glue flower petals to the stem wires (or to give a shine to items on which it's painted).;
• ;
• Roll small piece of dough very thin (if you roll on a patterned place mat, roll until pattern is visible). Cut petal freehand. Vein with veiner mold, and then use ball tool to thin and curl edges of petal. Use the gum glue to attach 4-inch long 26 gauge wire to base of petal, and lie on foam to dry. Form stamen with small balls of dough on hooked ends of 26 gauge wire. With floral tape, tape stamen together. Tape petals, starting with the smallest, around stamen. When flower is formed, pipe centers of stamen with yellow royal icing, and tint petals with powdered food coloring.

POINSETTIA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well blended. Stir in flour by hand using a sturdy spoon while adding enough red food coloring to make the dough turn a pretty red color.
• Roll the balls in the red decorator sugar and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Refrigerate the cookies on their cookie sheets until firm, about 10 minutes.
• When the cookies are firm, make three slices across each cookie to make 6 slices like a pie, cutting only about 2/3 of the way through the cookie balls.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies appear dry. Cool on the cookie sheets, then peel away from the aluminum foil.
• Make the icing for the cookies by mixing the confectioners' sugar and water until it reaches a piping consistency. Add a drop of yellow food coloring. Put icing into a pastry bag or resealable bag and cut a small piece off of the corner. Pipe small dots onto the center of the cookies. Allow icing to dry before storing cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies can be stored for up to two weeks.