Pumpkin Cookies And Toffee Apples...

Pumpkin Cookies And Toffee Apples...

Scary...

Pumpkin Cookies
Time to make: 1 hour

Skill level: Beginner

We used:

• One batch cookies (see recipe below)
• Pumpkin cookie cutter
• Ready made sugarpaste, orange & black
• White vegetable fat such as Trex
• Small quantity of buttercream to act as 'glue'

How to make:

1. Lightly grease your work surface with the fat and roll the kneaded orange sugarpaste to a thickness of approximately 3-4mm.
2. Using the same pumpkin-shaped cutter that cut the cookie shapes, cut a shape, lift carefully, moisten the back with buttercream and place on the cookie. 
3. Repeat with other cookies.
4. Use a finger moistened with water to smooth and round the edges.
5. Roll out the black sugarpaste in the same manner as step 1.
6. Use a craft knife or small kitchen knife to cut out pumpkin features and apply to half the cookies with a little buttercream.

TIP:

• If desired, moisten the surface of the remaining iced cookies with water and sprinkle over orange edible glitter.

Vanilla cookies:

• 225g/8oz flour
• 5ml/1tbsp baking powder
• 100g/4oz butter
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 5ml/1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten

Oven temp: 190C/Gas Mark 5

Makes 20-24

How to make:

1. Rub butter into sifted flour and baking powder.
2. Add sugar then mix to a dough with vanilla and egg.
3. Roll out fairly thinly on a lightly floured surface.
4. Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet allowing space for spreading.
5. Bake until golden brown and cool on a wire rack before decorating.

Toffee Apples
Time to make: 40 mins

Skill level: Beginner

We used:

• 6 x small apples (Russet apples are best but any will do)
• 300g sugar and small saucepan
• Lollipop sticks
• Slips of kraft paper
• Slips of white card and a hole punch
• Jewellery cord, natural
• Cellophane wrap in orange & clear
• Assorted ribbons in shades of orange, brown and purple
• Alphabet rubber stamps
• Pigment ink pad, brown

How to make:

1. Prepare a sheet of kitchen foil by oiling it lightly with vegetable oil. Push a lollipop stick into each apple.
2. Melt the sugar in the pan and allow to boil gently until it turns a caramel colour. 
3. Do not overcook as it will taste bitter. 
4. Remove from heat.
5. Take each apple in turn and holding it by the stick, dip each apple in the sugar until it is well coated.
6.  TAKE CARE AS THE MELTED SUGAR MIXTURE IS EXTREMELY HOT. 
7. You might need to spoon the mixture over the last apple as the level in the pan drops. 
8. Place each apple on the oiled foil sheet and allow to cool.
9. Place each cooled apple in the centre of a 30cm square ofcellophane sheet and draw up and around the apple securing where the apple and stick meet with a knot of ribbon.
10. Attach a stamped label to each stick with the cord if desired.

 Recipe and photo credit to Hobbycraft