MARDI GRAS MASK

INGREDIENTS

• Rice Krispie Treats, 32 oz premade sheet

• Candy Melts

• Mardi Gras Mask Cookie Cutter (or any Mardi Gras themed cookie cutter)

• Non-stick cooking spray

• Assorted edible candy decorations

This recipe can be used with any cookie cutters and toppings.

INSTRUCTIONS
Use premade or homemade Rice Krispie treats.

Spray cookie cutter with non-stick cooking spray. This will prevent Rice Krispie treats from sticking to the cutter. Cut as many treats from the sheet as possible, and reshape treats as needed. Dip treats into melted candy melts or chocolate, frosting works too.

Finish decorating the mask by adding candy or colored sugar.

KING CAKE COOKIES

Cut-Out Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

●       1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

●       18 tablespoons (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

●       1 large egg yolk, white reserved for another use

●       1 teaspoon salt

●       1/4 teaspoon vanilla or flavor of your choice

●       2 3/4 cups  All-Purpose Flour

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the cookies: Combine the sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and flavor, beating until smooth. Add the flour, mixing until smooth. The mixture will seem dry at first, but will suddenly come together. If it doesn't, dribble in a tablespoon of water.

1. Roll the dough out before it’s chilled. Divide the dough in half and make a flattened disk on a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Roll it out with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick. Repeat for other half of dough.

2. Carry the flattened dough to the refrigerator, where it can chill until firm. I stack the dough slabs on the back of a cookie sheet for ease in putting in and taking out of refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. I refrigerate overnight.

3. Working with one piece of dough at a time. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and use a cookie cutter to cut shapes. Replace the top sheet of plastic wrap to re-roll and cut the dough scraps. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheets. They can be close together; they'll barely spread.

4. Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until they're set and barely browned around the edges.

5. Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool right on the pan. If you've used parchment, you can lift cookies and parchment off the pan, so you can continue to use the pan as the cookies cool.

Simple Cookie Glaze

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups (255g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons (35g) light corn syrup (Karo)

1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) milk

Gel paste food color

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all of the ingredients together. Stir until smooth; a fork works fine. The glaze should be thick, but soft enough to "settle" when you spread it. If the glaze is too thick, dribble in another teaspoon of milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time.

 Glaze one cookie and set it aside briefly. The glaze won't be perfectly smooth when you apply it but should settle into a smooth surface within half a minute or so. Has the glaze settled into a smooth surface? If so, it's the right consistency. Remember, it's easier to add more liquid than to stir in more sugar, so start with a glaze that's thicker than you think it should be, then add milk little by little to adjust the consistency.

 Gel paste food colors are preferable, as they yield vibrant color, and don't alter the liquid/sugar ratio as regular food colors might.

MINI MARDI GRAS CAKES

How to Make Mini Mardi Gras Cakes

Box White Duncan Hines Cake Mix

• Follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box adding eggs and oil. Replace the water with milk. It will give these little cakes more flavor and structure when cutting them out with a cookie cutter.

• Divide batter evenly in two bowl, coloring one purple and the other green. I use gel colors - the same as in coloring the cookie glaze on the Mardi Gras Cookies.

• Use baking spray on sides and inside edge of baking sheet. Line bottom of baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Pour purple batter in one-half of pan and green batter in other half.

• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle has few crumbs.

• Let cake cool completely and refrigerate until cold. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out green and purple cake circles. Place the cake circles on parchment lined sheet pan and cover with plastic until ready to assemble.

Spiced Rum Buttercream Frosting

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 pound confectioners sugar

• 3 tablespoons Bayou Spiced Rum

• 3 tablespoons whole milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat butter at medium speed until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, combine one cup confectioners sugar, rum, milk and vanilla until blended. Gradually add remaining confectioners sugar and increase speed to medium,beating until well blended.

If you are coloring the icing, add gel food color with rum, milk and vanilla. Remember a little gel color goes a long way.

These recipes can be used year round.

1. Change the cookie cutters to create pumpkin shaped Rice Krispie treats or Cut-out Butter Cookies.

2. Make the mini cakes Easter themed by coloring the cake batter pink and yellow and use pale green butter icing. Replace the spiced rum with almond or additional vanilla extract. Top the mini cakes with chocolate eggs or jelly beans.

   Now, you have 3 recipes to make…So…Share the Love and Happy Baking!