guidon cookies

Yesterday I told you all about the Bake Auction my FRG was hosting and how to make Reindeer Poop Cookies (sometimes simply called "No Bakes")!

I also decided to donate some Sugar Cookies shaped like the Engineer Guidon Flag.

I know what you're thinking... "What in the world is a Guidon Flag!?!?!"

In the United States Army, Marines, and Air Force, a guidon is a military standard that company or platoon-sized elements carry to signify their unit designation and corps affiliation or the title of the individual who carries it. A basic guidon can be rectangular, but sometimes has a triangular portion removed from the fly (known as "swallow-tailed")  ("Guidon (United States)" -courtesy of Wikipedia)

My first thought was making regular cookies, red float icing for a background, and piping the lettering...

The cookies rolled out wonderful...
(Thank you Bake at 350 for the Sugar Cookie Recipe!)

Here was my first attempt at Royal Icing... more like Whipped Royal icing...

hmmm... perhaps I should turn off the mixer while sifting the powdered sugar...

(Yeah... I over-wisked the meringue powder/egg whites...)

Since I was only able to achieve a hot pink icing...

Two containers later of Wilton's Christmas Red...

I decided to regroup and try another tactic...

How about some hot pink RED sugar cookies?

Ahhh that's much better....

And I only used the whole bottle of cheapo food coloring...

I tried several versions of the Engineer Castle...

Here is the one I decided to use...

And my second batch of royal icing was perfect for pouring...
but not so good on the drying...

hmmmm... maybe a little less water next time...

So I made a THIRD batch and filled them again!

And with a little "toothpick teasing", they looked near perfect!

Miss Bridget? You are truly a talented, royal icing, ARTIST!

Here is my cookie salute to you!

PS - For those of you who are also *ahem* shall we say "domestically challenged"...
Here are my Royal Icing for Dummies instructions...
(adapted from Miss Bridget's recipe at Bake at 350- my text is italic)

Royal Icing
(this will cover approximately 3 dozen 3.5 inch cookies)

1 pound powdered sugar
5 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
a few drops of extract (optional)

Sift your powdered sugar onto a large piece of wax paper.  This way you can sift it, and dump it in without making a total mess of your counter.  {The most important step: sift the powdered sugar! Believe me, I've tried to shortcut this step...it doesn't work. My favorite powdered sugars are Domino and C &a, but any will do. Imperial is easier to find in the 1 pound boxes.}

Combine the meringue powder and water with a whisk attachment using an electric mixer. Beat until peaks begin to form. This takes a while - but don't walk away.  Be patient and turn the mixer off when you see them start to form.

Take off the wisk attachment off and put on the mixer attachment.

Beat on low to combine. Only add a little at a time or else you will create a lovely puff of sugar smoke that will cover your counter, chest, eyebrows, etc...

Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. (You should be able to remove the beater from the mixer and hold up and jiggle without the peak falling.)  If using an extract, add it then beat for a few more seconds to incorporate.

Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

Here is Bridget's instructions for Flood Icing with wonderful pictures!  My only suggestion is you add water a Table spoon at a time and stir the icing with a spoon... The first two times I used the mixer and I made a total mess!  But my third batch, I just added a little water and stirred it around with a spoon - it was near perfect!

I know I want to try this again - I had a lot of fun!

I just need to go buy a more few containers of Meringue...

This post has been linked to
"Tackle it Tuesday" hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom