Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Bee Cookie Tutorial

These Bee Cookies are made using a few different decorating techniques. For a list of my favorite products including some of the ones used in this tutorial, visit:  http://amberspiegel.blogspot.com/p/my-favorite-decorating-products.html 

I began with this color palette. The bee bodies and wings are made with golden yellow. The base of the cookie is a mixture of brown and a touch of juniper green. I added black to the brown icing for the honeycomb pattern.


Make a template for the bee bodies. Place the template on a sheet pan (upside down sheet pan if it has sides... they'll get in your way when you're piping). Cover the template with wax paper and secure it with tape.


Use 10 count royal icing to pipe the body. I'm using Wilton golden yellow and a tip 2.


Allow each section to dry for about 5 minutes before filling in the next.


Allow the bee bodies to dry overnight.


Print out or trace another bee template. Cover it in packing tape to prevent it from sticking to the fondant. Cut out the wings.



Color a small piece of fondant with golden yellow and roll it out very thin.


Using a scribe or a small knife, cut out the wings.


Peel away the excess fondant.


Remove the wing templates. Allow the wings to dry overnight.



Using Wilton pearl dust in bronze and a small brush, dust the wings starting from the inside and move the brush out toward the edges.



Mix a small amount of Wilton pearl dust in silver with a few drops of alcohol such as vanilla extract or vodka. Use a small brush to paint the details of the wings.



Once the bee bodies are completely dry, dust the edges using bronze pearl dust.


Use the same mixture of silver pearl dust and vodka as you used earlier to paint the details onto the bee body.



Carefully remove the bee bodies from the wax paper using an offset spatula.



Flood your cookie using 10 count royal icing and a tip 3. This color is Wilton brown mixed with a little juniper green.  


Using a tip 1 and 10 count royal icing, pipe the honeycomb design. It is made up of a series of vertical lines connected with a zig zag.



Gently tap the cookie on the table so the icing settles.


While the icing is still wet, place the wings on and press them down gently.


Then, add the body. Allow the icing to dry overnight.


Once the cookie is completely dry, dust the edges with Wilton pearl dust in bronze.  

 



Paint the legs using a mixture of silver pearl dust and alcohol.


Use a tip 2 and stiff white icing to pipe a bead border.




For more tutorials, visit my YouTube channel.