Your Decorating Dictionary

This is the season that screams for all sorts of fun, icings , frostings and decorations . Yet do you know what goes with what and what kind of candy decoration works? It pays to be knowledgeable about what you're putting on those baked treats. It makes not only for a tastier treat but also for a prettier one too.

Before you rev up the mixer for frosting, know the differences between icing and frosting. Icing is thinner and glossier , usually reserved for some cakes, breads and buns like hot cross ones.It is perfect for topping sugar or lemon cookies. It's usually made of any kind of milk , confectioner's sugar and corn syrup. An extract, whether vanilla, almond or fruit such as lemon or orange is added for flavor. It's easy to tint. A thicker, maybe more manageable version is royal icing, used primarily in England but gaining popularity here. This is usually made with egg whites, confectioners sugar, and vanilla, however a healthier and safer version is made with aquafaba or the bean water from chickpeas. It's just three ingredients - that and confectioners sugar and some kind of flavoring. You can tint it the same as the regular royal icing. Frosting is heavier thanks to the addition of some kind of  butter, margarine, or shortening. This is perfect for cakes and cupcakes and can be tinted in any color and piped to look like ruffles and rosettes. Both icings can be frozen if you make too much or are planning a second batch of treats. There are also glazes. These are for reserved for Bundt cakes and sweet yeast breads and rolls. A basic ones has butter, confectioners sugar and enough milk to thin it out for an almost watery consistency. It can be flavored like icing , but most home bakers usually add in vanilla or lemon/ orange.

Now the extras. There's so many - what comes first? For the best and simplest designs just tint or dye the icings and frostings. You can use the old fashioned liquid food coloring however the best results come from gel food coloring. It has a glycerin or corn syrup base which makes it thicker and won't ruin the consistency of the frosting or icing. Of course there has to be red and green sprinkles which can be baked into cookies or sprinkled on cakes cupcakes and even buns. A prettier effect is sanding sugar , especially the silver which sparkles like snow in the moonlight.  What is sanding sugar? It's dried out sugar syrup and then the leftover granules are screened and colored. You could create it at home using the British turbinado sugar and gel food coloring. You could try it in red and green to be sprinkled over icing or frosting. Another elegant decoration is a sprinkling of silver dragees, These can be pretty on butter cookies but also on iced snowflake sugar cookies. Serious home bakers usually apply them with tweezers but you can use your fingers. You can also buy gold and pearl dragees too. Chopped nuts are a classic decoration. There's such a big choice from walnut chips which look sweet on brownies or slivered almonds that go well on butter or lemon ones. Candy also works. Mini candy canes are always fun on cupcakes and crushed ones can grace anything from brownies to fudge to cookies.

Holiday treat decorating is always fun. Just know what you're using for the prettiest and tastiest cakes, cookies, breads and brownies. It makes it easier to ice and frost , sprinkling, painting,  and glazing,

Eat Your Carats!

Today is the third installment of our holiday luxuries.. Ever want to eat pure gold? Or even silver ? You can . Ask any baker or candy maker about gold or silver leaf or dust and they'll nod knowingly. Nibbling on 24 carat anything is as decadent as you can get.

Gold leaf and dust have been around since the Italian and French Renaissance. Whole dishes were enveloped in them, much to the delight and probable surprise of the court. Risotto was encased in gold as were fruits of Elizabethan England. Unlike other metals, gold is relatively safe to eat and there are no side effects. Nowadays any form of the metal is used primarily in baking,. You can buy gold leaf which are sheets that can be applied to gold dust which looks like metallic salt. There are even shakers for easier sprinkling. Most prices range between $27 to a whopping 95 dollars depending on the weight and quantity. There are some great websites out there that offera variety of different gold.

To a lesser extent silver leaf is also popular.r As with gold you can create fancy desserts and cakes with it. Silver dragee balls have been popular with home and commercial bakers for decades. Many Italian pastry shops will make special occasion cookies using silver dragees . They're also used to top wedding cakes as well. Unfortunately not every US state allows them. California has banned the glittery decorations since 2006.

There;s nothing as decadent as eating a pastry laced with gold or silver. It's the ultimate holiday experience. Try eating these precious metals just for the sheer luxury of it.