Decorative Stars Recipes

PARMESAN PUFF PASTRY STARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dust a flat work surface lightly with flour. Unroll both puff pastry sheets and roll each one out to a rectangle of the same size. Brush one puff pastry sheet with a little water and sprinkle with 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Lay the second puff pastry sheet on top, brush with water, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Using a large star cutter cut out about twelve 2 1/2 to 3 1/2-inch stars.
• Place stars on prepared baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes (or 5 minutes in the freezer).
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed up and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

DECORATOR FROSTING I

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low speed of electric mixer until well blended and very smooth.

DECORATIVE STARS

Steps:

• Once the marzipan is dry on your cake, brush it all over with water just to dampen the surface. Cut off 750g of the icing, re-wrap the rest, then dust the worktop with icing sugar. Knead the icing until pliable and smooth, then roll out and lay over the cake in the same way as you did with the marzipan (see 'Goes well with' recipe). Leave to dry completely overnight.
• For the stars, cut the remaining icing in half. Knead a small spot of icing colour (you can always add more later) into one half until evenly pale blue. Cut in half, then work a little more colour into one piece to make it darker.
• Piece by piece, roll out the white and blue icings a little thicker than a £1 coin. Stamp out about 40 stars, re-rolling any trimmings, then push the piping nozzle or straw through the middles to make holes. Lift onto a rack, then dry in a cool, dry place for 24 hrs, or longer if you can. Once dry, knot an 80cm length of ribbon loosely at one end, then thread with stars. Untie the knot, then tie the ribbon in a bow, making sure that the stars are slanting in the same direction.
• Once the cake is dry, pick up the wreath of stars carefully, then lay it on top of the cake. Fix the remaining ribbon around the bottom of the cake using a little tape or glue.

DECORATIVE GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, molasses, water, oil and egg.
• Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, ginger and cinnamon; add to molasses mixture and beat until combined.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
• On a well floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8th" thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters of your choice.
• Using a floured spatula, place the cookies 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.
• If cookies will be hung, usea a plastic straw to make a hole about 1/2 inch from the top of each.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
• Use straw to reoped holes.
• Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Decorate with frosting if desired. Let dry completely.
• Thread ribbon through holes.
• Times do not reflect chilling time.

HALLOWEEN SCARY DECORATIVE PROPS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients.
• Form the dough into whatever shape you want. I find that keeping a bowl of flour handy helps in keeping it less sticky. You can cut it with cookie cutters, make your own shapes.
• Put your shapes in the microwave on a microwave safe plate for 30 seconds and then do so until the dough is hard.
• Paint it! I used food color and water, and some old nail polish to make the bloody effects and I used again some old nail polish for the nails.
• I sprayed some first for some mummy and frankenfingers and then the food dye did the rest for that fleshy affect.
• The glossy ones I put in my paraffin wax hand and foot soaker just to see what it would look like. They came out well!