We couldn't decide on the color so we designed both

It would seem the Oscars forgot Leonardo DiCaprio’s nomination and my invitation again. I was sure after last year’s Tuxedo Mousse Cake lost invitation the Academy would have taken extra precautions to ensure my invitation would arrive. With only twenty two days left to the Oscars it is time to realize The Academy has over looked me and once again over looked Mr. Dicaprio’s wonderful portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover; I suppose I am in excellent company.

It is a shame I spent days working on two wonderful dresses; I wouldn’t want to wear the same dress as Meryl Streep or Michelle Williams.

I don't want to seem like sour grapes; I will eat a dress while watching the Oscars.

Special Evening Dress  cookies are my  basic almond sugar cookie recipe,  we decorated the dresses with egg white royal icing, however  meringue powder royal icing can be substituted if you would rather not use raw egg whites. Both royal icing recipes will give you the same decoration outcome; the meringue powder recipe tends to be a littler sweeter.

We outlined each of cookies, filled them in with a matching color, allowed the royal icing to completely dry and used a beading technique to bead the dresses and form a bodice. Sydney and I wanted to show you that with a few simple pantry baking ingredients it was possible to create an elegant, Oscar worthy, cookie. The only other supplies/ ingredients we used were paper cones, and food coloring paste.

Paper cones can be made with  a square of Parchment paper:

•  Using a square of parchment paper. Fold the bottom edge up in a triangular shape taking care it meets the top edge. Use a pastry scraper to define the line and cut, viola a triangle
• Open the parchment. Use the crease as a guide to cut your triangle out.
• Lay the triangle so point A facing you, curl point C to meet point A.
• Holding point A and point C together in one hand bring point B around and over to meet the back of points A and C to form a cone.
• Adjust points B and C to form a tight sharp point, about oo size.
• Tape the seem facing the outside and the top of the cone to keep  it secure.

Practice a few times

Filling the cone with with royal icing:

• To fill the paper pastry cone, hold it in your left hand. Put the royal icing on a spatula, and place the icing in the lower part of the cone, filling cone half way. Use your fingers aide the royal icing in the cone.
• Fold the two outer sides inward and roll the top edge of the sides of the pastry cone.
• Use sharp scissors to cut a small hole in the tip of the bag so you can continue to roll down the top as you decorate your cookie.

If the icing seems to harden at the tip, gently ease the hard icing with your fore finger and thumb

(These diagrams are from August Thomsen Crop.)

I hope you have a brilliant time decorating your almond sugar cookies for the Oscars; if any of you have been over looked by the Academy remember you are in excellent company.

Voila!