Stained Glass Ornaments Recipes

STAINED-GLASS COOKIE ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until smooth, 1 minute.
• Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
• Position two racks in oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat (nonstick baking mat); set aside.
• On a well-floured work surface, roll out chilled dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out exterior shapes using a cookie cutter or templates. With a metal spatula, transfer whole cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Using tip of a paring knife, make a cutout in center of each cookie to be filled with candy. Using a straw or the narrow end of a plain round pastry tip, cut a hole in the top of each cookie for hanging.
• Chop the candies into 1/4-inch pieces. Sprinkle chopped candy in the center of each cookie, filling the hole. Transfer baking sheet to the refrigerator, and chill until cookie dough is firm, about 15 minutes. Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake cookies until the candy has melted and completely filled the cut-out area, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let the cookies brown, or the stained-glass effect will not be as brilliant and the candy centers may become bubbly, not clear.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, and then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

STAINED GLASS COOKIE ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Divide into three portions; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. ornament-shaped cookie cutters. Cut out centers with a 1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place larger cutouts 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Poke a small hole in the top of each cookie. Repeat with remaining dough; reroll small cutouts if desired. , Place the same color of hard candies in small resealable plastic bags; crush candies. Sprinkle in center of each. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2-3 minutes or until candies are set before carefully removing to wire racks. , In a small bowl, beat meringue powder and water until soft peaks form. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Decorate cookies with icing.

STAINED-GLASS ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• 2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and molasses and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in the water. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms.
• 3. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.
• 5. Divide the dough into thirds. Divide each third into 10 equal pieces. Using your palms, roll each piece on a lightly floured work surface into a rope 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. Gently trace the design of your choice onto the prepared cookie sheets (a wooden spoon handle or chopstick works well for tracing on foil). Outline each design with a rope of dough, pressing the ends together to seal securely.
• 6. Sprinkle the inside of each design with the crushed candies, dividing the candies evenly among the outlined designs and creating an even layer.
• 7. Bake in the center of the oven or until the edges of the cookies are golden and the candy has melted, 6 to 9 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets on wire racks until the candy hardens, about 5 minutes. Gently peel the foil away from the cookies and transfer to the racks to cool completely.

STAINED GLASS CANDY ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• What You Need:Assorted hard candies, Jolly Ranchers, mints, and other hard candiesCookie cutters in holiday shapesBaking sheetNon-stick cooking sprayChopstickAluminum foilRibbon (for hanging the ornaments)What You Do:1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.2. Help your child generously spray the cookie cutters with nonstick spray.3. Help your child wrap the cookie cutters tightly with aluminum foil, leaving the top side uncovered. Place the wrapped cookie cutters on the baking sheet, uncovered side up.4. Have your child place candies into the cookie cutters in a single layer.5. Put the cookie cutters in the oven and let them cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until the candy is fully melted. Let the candy shapes cool for 4 minutes so they harden slightly.6. Once the candy has cooled slightly, create a hole in each candy shape by inserting the tapered end of the chopstick into each one where you want the ribbon to go.7. Let the candy shapes cool completely. Once cool and hard, carefully remove the candy shapes from the cookie cutter and foil.8. Have your child thread a ribbon through the hole in the ornaments.Now your "glass" ornaments are ready for hanging! Place them on the Christmas tree, hang them in a window, or suspend them from the ceiling for a breathtaking holiday display.

BEAUTIFUL STAINED-GLASS HARD CANDY

Steps:

• To make your own molds from foil: Cut aluminum foil in desired shapes: stars, trees, etc. Grease foil lightly with vegetable oil. Fold up edges to make 1/2" sides. Seal corners with freezer tape to prevent leaks.
• You can also pour this candy onto a greased cookie sheet to make your own shapes. Score the candy while it's still warm (be careful not to burn your fingers) so you can break it on the score lines. I've even used mint containers as molds.
• To make the candy: In a 2-quart saucepan combine sugar, syrup, water and vinegar. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, until it reaches the hard crack stage (300F degrees).
• Remove from the heat, stir in the flavoring and color. Allow the candy to cool SLIGHTLY. Pour the candy into prepared molds, about 1/8" deep. When firm, remove from the molds.
• If you wish to hang the finished candy on a string or ribbon: when the candy begins to set (before it hardens) use a skewer to make holes for stringing.
• If candy becomes too firm to pour and shape it, then remelt it over low heat. Be careful not to boil it.
• Tips for other color combinations: Use a toothpick to swirl food coloring through the uncolored candy after it's been poured into molds. Make molded candies of one color and dribble with a second color to get a "stained glass" effect. To store candy ornaments, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a covered container at room temperature in a dry place. Keep them flat to prevent warping.