Cocoa Bee Cookies

Submitted by Chef mariajane

"This is a fantastic recipe from Martha Stewart, it takes time and patience, but is worth it in the end. You have to have a bee cookie cutter, or maybe you are very good at cutting your own shapes!! A couple of little bees sitting on the side of your dessert plate is so decorative, and they are also delicious!!"

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 9 dozen bees

ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa
• 1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1⁄2 cup dark unsulphured molasses
• superfine sugar, for sprinkling

• YELLOW ROYAL ICING

• 7 1⁄2 teaspoons meringue powder
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 -6 tablespoons water
• lemon yellow gel-paste food coloring

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt baking powder, and baking soda.
3. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, Beat in egg and molasses, reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cold but not hard.
4. Divide dough into quarters, Roll out each portion between two sheets of parchement to 1/4 inch thickness. Chill in freezer until firm. about 30 minutes. Using a 3-inch bee cutter cut out the shapes. Gather together the scraps; reroll and cut out. Space 1-inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment.
5. Bake cookies until firm, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

6. YELLOW ROYAL ICING:

7. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat meringue powder, sugar and 3 tablespoons water until smooth, about 1 minute. Add more water, 1 tablespoons at a time until the mixture is the consistency of honey.
8. Add the food coloring until desired color is reached.
9. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco#2) . Use immediately.
10. Brush water on wings of bees and sprinkle immediately with sanding sugar, shaking off excess. Decorate bodies with royal icing and immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar, shaking off excess.
11. Let cookies set, at least 2 hours. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers up to 2 weeks.