Cassy’s Cookbook: LOTRO Cookies

Decorating cookies was something I wanted to do for a while now and I figured the best way to start practicing was to make once again some edible fan LOTRO fan art.

Every cookie was a three step process:

1. Make, bake and cool the cookies.

I made simple sugar cookies, but because I went a bit wild brainstorming with Goldenstar on what kind of cookies we wanted to do, I had to use something else then regular cookie cutters. For the big circles, I used a glass of water, about 3 inches wide. For the miscellaneous shapes, I took a sharp knife and cut the cookies as I wanted them. Be really sure they are cool before proceeding to next step!

2. Piping with Royal Icing

Before I began coloring my royal icing mix, I made a chart for each cookie, determining which colors I’ll be needing. It enabled me to visualize the amount of icing I would need for each color. Also because I only have one piping  pouch, I was able to not forget any place where I needed a specific colors before moving to the next one, hence saving my self precious time.

The purpose of piping is to create a dam around each area you will later flood with more liquid royal icing. Be sure your dam is tight and high enough to contain the icing. Cookies should dry for about 2 hours before moving to the third step.

3. Flooding with Royal Icing

I kept all the icing I used for piping in air tight containers and instead of making a new recipe of more liquid royal icing, I simple added some water to the colour ones I already had. This way, I didn’t had to recreate the exact same colour and tone of icing to match the piping that was on the cookie!

To apply the icing on a cookie, use a squeeze bottle and pour some icing in the middle of the cookie. Use a toothpick or a small spatula to gently push the icing in the corners and towards the edge of the dam. The more detailed your shapes are (i.e. like the White Tree) the longer it will be to fill all the small little gaps between the piped icing. I found that a very tiny brush is also a good tool to use when it comes to this level of details!

Let dry for 2-3 hours if you want to pipe over your flooded icing and 24 hours before pilling them up.

Here’s how it all turned out!

First I knew we had to do Sauron’s Eye. Shape was easy and design was obvious. To create the flame effect, I applied red and yellow flooding icing at the same time and mixed them a bit with a toothpick.

Second of  course was the One Ring. I think it ended up being pretty boring. The idea is great but the design could use something to spice it up. Bah, next time.

I also knew I wanted to try a Prancing Pony sign. I’m pretty happy about this one!

But I had to think about competition, and made a sign for the Green Dragon Inn as well.

Hobbit heads where something I thought would be cute too, so I made Merric…

And Goldenstar!

Talking about making edible hobbit head got me thinking about our friends the orcs, so I decided I should make a tribute to them as well.

This one was supposed to have a helm. Now that I look at it again, it kinda turned out like a Spock haircut, ugh.

Anyway, I knew I wanted to attempt at a White Tree of Gondor. Despite the fact that flooding green between branches was a pain, I think it’s one of my favourite ones!

Finally, I thought that if I was going to do fan art, I might just as well go all the way, and made a Turbine fan.

Now is the part where I asked my fellow CSTM writers about their ideas for LOTRO cookies, and Goldenstar came up with pretty great ideas for me. First suggestion was a wizard’s hat, like the one Gandalf had.

Next was a Mount Doom cookie, with icing lava pouring from it’s top. Brilliant!

But then, she said ‘’Bill the pony’’. Right. How the hell was I supposed to carve a pony in cookie, let a lone decorate it? Well, I figured if I was to do only it’s head, it might actually work out…

And she concluded with ‘’Balrog’’. Uh. Well I thought if I just carved an effing pony, I might as well give it a shot and carve a balrog, hehe. I’m not sure it’s the best one, but it was equally fun to do!

So which one is your favourite and what next cookie/cupcake would you like to see?