White Wedge Cookies in progress
White cookies aren’t only for weddings or christenings, but these certainly could be for both...and for other occasions, too. I love the wedge shape and how they fit nicely into a circle when you arrange them that way, but each wedge can certainly stand on its own. That’s kind of how marriage is, isn’t it? Each person can be on their own, but together they make a perfect whole.
“They say marriages are made in Heaven. But so is thunder and lightning.” Clint Eastwood
In fact, I did not make these white wedge cookies for a wedding. I made them for a friend who casually mentioned that I hadn’t given his family any cookies for quite a while. I’m always willing to bake and would do it every day if I had enough people to eat what I make. So when someone actually requests cookies, I’m thrilled to accommodate them.
P.S. Sometimes I feel like the neighbor with a garden full of zucchini and when you see them approaching your house carrying a large paper bag, you lock your door and pull down the window shades! The only difference is that I come bearing cookies instead of zucchini. Well, maybe another difference is that people might be just a tad more willing to take my cookies than your zucchini.
Cookie specifics
These white wedge cookies are made of my favorite shortbread recipe. They're covered with white chocolate dough mixed with homemade fondant, which makes for a beautiful embossing medium.
Shortbread. The combination of European butter and vanilla bean makes this shortbread cookie one of the yummiest cookies I make. It’s buttery, crumbly and light.
Shapes
Instead of cookie cutters, I used wedge-shaped mooncake molds. Discovering mooncake molds opened up a whole new world of cookie possibilities for me!
Sizes
The wedge-shaped mold includes six different patterns and each wedge measures 2½ at its widest end and 2 inches to the point. It takes 6 wedges to make a perfect cookie circle. 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
My Own (New) Family Recipe
This Shortbread recipe was developed over several months in my quest to duplicate the taste and texture of a shortbread cookie from a now-closed bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Cookies
Shortbread: flour, butter, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Royal Icing: confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, pure vanilla extract or almond extract, cream of tartar, food coloring
Chocolate Dough: corn syrup plus delicate white chocolate
Homemade Fondant: sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, gelatin, water, vanilla extract
Plate, Box or Bag?
Box, of course! My favorite way to transport my cookies is to package them in a cardboard bakery box with a clear window on top that makes the contents visible to anyone who wants to peek. I was able to fit 18 2½-inch cookies in one box.
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
Add new comment