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Every Little Detail with Aproned Artist: Mom’s Garden Cookie

 

My mom can grow anything. It wasn’t always so. She started out a city kid from New York with little opportunity or care to nurture a green thumb. But with the 1960s came a newfound desire to commune with nature. My parents moved to a small blueberry farm in Arkansas to “live off the land”. Unencumbered by such modern conveniences as electricity and plumbing, they set about teaching themselves to become subsistence farmers. Somehow, through a mixture of trial and error, hippie optimism, and necessity, they did just that. Even now, so many lifetimes later, it’s as though my mom and plants have reached a mutual understanding. I swear the seeds just wait for her signal to burst forth from the soil in a torrent of life and abundance. This little garden scene is a celebration of my mom, her unrivaled green thumb, and the fearlessness that earned it.

Supplies:
  • 2 oz (57 gm) modeling chocolate, store-bought or homemade*
  • Large resealable plastic bag, separated at side seams
  • Rolling pin
  • Bench scraper or sharp knife
  • Royal icing (I used AmeriColor gel paste to color the icing):
    • Loose flooding-consistency** terra-cotta (1 part Warm Brown/1 part Regal Purple/1 part Tulip Red/1 part Ivory)
    • Stiff-consistency green (3 parts Gold/1 part Leaf Green)
    • Stiff-consistency peach (1 part Electric Pink/1 part Gold)
    • Stiff-consistency brown (2 parts Chocolate Brown/1 part Super Black)
    • Loose flooding-consistency** tan (1 part Warm Brown/1 part Chocolate Brown/1 part Forest Green/1 part Ivory)
    • Thick flooding-consistency** dark gray (Super Black)
    • Stiff-consistency red (Super Red)
    • Flooding-consistency light gray (3 parts Gold/2 parts Regal Purple/1 part Super Black)
  • 2 small bowls
  • Cake tester (or equivalent)
  • Scribe tool (or equivalent)
  • Parchment paper
  • Tips: 
    • PME #2, 1, 3 (or equivalents)
    • Ateco #65, 101 (or equivalents)
  • Small flat angled paint brush
  • 2 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
  • Butter knife
  • Large spatula, with 1/2-in (1.3-cm) diameter handle 
  • Acetate
  • Tape
  • 3 1/2-in (8.9-cm) baked square cookie
  • Small trowel or offset spatula
  • AmeriColor Super Black gel paste food coloring diluted with water, for painting

Notes:
*Modeling chocolate is really easy to make at home, and it’s delicious! There are many recipes available online, but I love Sugar Geek Show’s tutorial. It’s full of tips and tricks to ensure success.

**On icing consistencies: Loose flooding-consistency icing should take about 6 seconds to settle completely after a knife or spatula is drawn through the icing. Thick flooding-consistency icing should be thick enough that it won’t settle without some help from your scribe tool.

Step 1: Create modeling chocolate flowerpot 

a. Cut off a 1/2-ounce (14-gram) chunk of modeling chocolate. The modeling chocolate will start out hard and crumbly at room temperature, so knead and roll it until you have a smooth ball. Roll the ball against your work surface to form a cylinder (see leftmost image below). Modeling chocolate is very sensitive to the warmth of your hands; if it becomes sticky, roll it between the separated sides of a resealable plastic bag. Taper one end of the cylinder by applying a small amount of pressure to only one of the ends as you roll it (see center image below). The tapered flowerpot should look like the rightmost image below (with the tapered end on the bottom).

Step 1a - Shape Modeling Chocolate Flowerpot

b. Cut off a 1/10-ounce (3-gram) chunk of modeling chocolate. Roll it into a long rope between the separated sides of the resealable bag. When the rope is long enough to wrap around the circumference of the top of the flowerpot (shaped in Step 1a), flatten it with a rolling pin. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to trim off the sides so that you have an even strip.

Step 1b - Shape Flowerpot Trim

c. To create the rim of the flowerpot, wrap the strip around the top of the flowerpot, allowing it to extend slightly beyond the top edge. Trim the excess where the ends of the strip meet.

Step 1c - Add Trim to Flowerpot

d. Place the loose flooding-consistency terra-cotta icing in a small bowl. Ideally, allow the icing to sit for a few minutes so that some of the air bubbles can rise to the surface. Insert a cake tester (or equivalent) into the top of the modeling chocolate flowerpot. Holding the top of the cake tester, dip the flowerpot into the icing, twirling it gently so that the icing covers the sides and top rim (see leftmost image below). Lift the cake tester up, and allow the excess icing to drip back into the bowl. Remove the dripping icing from the bottom of the flowerpot with the edge of the scribe tool (see center image below). Set the flowerpot down on a piece of parchment paper. The icing will continue to pool slightly at the bottom. After 15 seconds, pick up the flowerpot (using the cake tester which should still be stuck in the top of the pot), and set it on a clean spot on the parchment. If the icing continues to pool, move the flowerpot to a clean spot every 15 seconds or so until the icing crusts enough that it no longer pools at the bottom. (In the rightmost image below, I had to move the flowerpot five times before the icing stopped pooling.) Allow the icing to dry completely before removing the cake tester.

Step 1d - Dip Flowerpot in Icing

Step 2: Pipe tulips and finish flowerpot

a. Using stiff-consistency green royal icing and a PME #2 tip (or equivalent), pipe several flower stems measuring 2 to 2 3/4 inches (5.1 to 7 centimeters) in length onto a piece of parchment paper. You will only need three stems, however, it’s always nice to have a few extra pieces from which to choose. Allow the stems to dry completely.

b. Hold a stem between your fingers, and pipe a tall leaf on one side of the stem using stiff-consistency green royal icing and an Ateco #65 tip (or equivalent). Start the leaf about 1/2 inch (1.3 centimeters) above the bottom of the stem, and finish the leaf near the top of the stem, leaving enough room to attach a flower. You can either pipe the leaf completely along the length of the stem or allow the tip of the leaf to fold over slightly. Use a damp paint brush to shape the bottom of the leaf where it attaches to the lower portion of the stem. Lay down the stems to allow the leaves to dry, taking care not to mess up the leaves just piped.

c. Once the leaves are dry, pipe another leaf on the opposite side of each stem.

Steps 2a, 2b, and 2c - Pipe Tulip Stems and Leaves

d. Use the cake tester (or equivalent) to bore three holes in the top of the flowerpot. Widen the holes sufficiently to accommodate the stems piped in Step 2a. Use stiff-consistency peach royal icing and an Ateco #101 tip (or equivalent) to pipe the interior of the flower. Hold the tip vertically with the narrow end facing up. While holding the bottom of one of the stems, twirl the stem in your fingers as you pipe to create a small cone of icing at the tip of the stem. Insert the bottom of the stem into one of the holes in the flowerpot to dry. Repeat with two more stems.

Step 2d - Pipe Interior of Tulip

e. Once the interior cone of the flower has dried completely, carefully remove the stem from the flowerpot, and hold it between your fingertips. Use stiff-consistency peach royal icing and the Ateco #101 tip (or equivalent) to pipe a petal. Hold the tip vertically with the large end of the opening against the base of the dried icing cone. Apply pressure to the piping bag as you move the tip up to the top of the dried cone and then down again to meet at the base (see leftmost image below). Use a damp paint brush to shape the petal, smoothing out the crease in the center and lengthening the tip so that it looks more like a tulip (see center image). Pipe and shape another petal directly adjacent to the first (see rightmost image below). If you still have room, pipe and shape one more petal in between the two you just piped. Insert the stem into one of the holes of the flowerpot to dry. Repeat this process for the other two stems.

Step 2e - Pipe Outer Petals

f. Once dry, carefully remove the flower stems from the holes of the flowerpot, and place them nearby. Using a PME #1 tip (or equivalent), fill each hole with stiff-consistency brown royal icing, and immediately insert the flower stems back into the holes. Allow the icing to dry completely.

g. Cover the top of the flowerpot with the same stiff-consistency brown royal icing. Immediately cover the icing with crushed cookie crumbs. If necessary, use a dry paint brush to push the crumbs into the tight areas around the flower stems.

Step 2g - Add Dirt to Flowerpot

Step 3: Shape modeling chocolate dirt sack

a. Cut off a 3/4-ounce (21-gram) chunk of modeling chocolate, and knead it until smooth and pliable. Flatten it slightly into a rough rectangle. Use your fingers to pinch two of the corners so that they look like the corners on the bottom of a sack.

Step 3a - Pinch Corners of Dirt Sack

b. At the opposite end of the pinched corners, use your fingers to thin the modeling chocolate into a collar. Gently roll over the collar to create the opening of the sack. Smooth any rough patches or tears with your fingers.

Step 3b - Shape Top of Dirt Sack

c. Use the back of a butter knife to make a few creases in the sack. Smooth the creases slightly with your fingertips.

Step 3c - Add Creases to Dirt Sack

d. Place the loose flooding-consistency tan royal icing in a small bowl. Ideally, allow the icing to sit for a few minutes so that some of the air bubbles can rise to the surface. Insert a cake tester (or equivalent) into the “opening” of the modeling chocolate dirt sack. Holding the top of the cake tester, dip the dirt sack into the icing, twirling it gently so that the icing covers the sides and top rim (see leftmost image below). Lift the cake tester up, and allow the excess icing to drip back into the bowl (see center image below). Scrape the flat underside of the dirt sack along the rim of the bowl to remove excess icing. Set the dirt sack onto a piece of parchment paper. Drag a damp (flat angled) paint brush along the creases of the dirt sack and underneath the collar to help accentuate them (see rightmost image). If the icing has pooled along the sides of the dirt sack, move it to a clean area of the parchment paper. Allow the icing to dry completely before removing the cake tester.

Step 3d - Dip Dirt Sack in Icing

e. Cover the inside of the dirt sack with stiff-consistency brown royal icing, using a damp paint brush to spread the icing to the edges. Immediately cover the icing with crushed cookie crumbs, patting them down gently with the paint brush.

Step 3e - Add Dirt to Sack Opening

Step 4: Pipe spade royal icing transfer

a. Cover the handle of a large spatula with a piece of acetate, taping it at the ends to secure it tightly. Use thick flooding-consistency dark gray royal icing and a PME #1 tip (or equivalent) to pipe the metal portion of the spade, measuring about 1/2 inch (1.3 centimeters) in length. Pipe a few more spade shapes so that you have extras in case any break during removal. Allow the icing to dry completely before carefully removing the transfer from the acetate.

b. Using stiff-consistency red royal icing and a PME #3 tip (or equivalent), pipe a line (also about 1/2 inch or 1.3 centimeters long) for the handle onto a piece of parchment paper. Place one of the extra spade transfers in front of the handle to act as a prop. While the red icing is still wet, carefully press another spade transfer (concave side facing up) into the top of the handle to adhere the two pieces. Rest the tip of the spade on the extra transfer so that the spade is tipped up at a slight angle. Let the icing dry completely before carefully removing the parchment paper from the spade.

Steps 4a and 4b - Pipe Spade Transfer

Step 5: Decorate stone base cookie

a. Flood a 3 1/2-inch (8.9-centimeter) baked square cookie with flooding-consistency light gray royal icing. Allow the icing to dry completely.

b. Pipe a loose squiggle of the same flooding-consistency light gray icing across the cookie using a PME #2 tip (or equivalent). Immediately use a small trowel or offset spatula to flatten the icing, keeping the smoothed area somewhat irregular in shape. Let the icing crust for a few minutes before piping another squiggle of icing in another section and flattening it in the same fashion. Try to keep the overall texture organic by varying the direction of the icing squiggles and overlapping some smoothed areas. Repeat this process until the entire cookie is textured. Let the icing dry completely.

Step 5b - Texture Stone Base Cookie

c. Use very diluted black gel paste coloring and a small flat angled paint brush to shade the crevices of the stone texture. Concentrate your painting along the underside of the raised edges of the texture to accentuate the depth of the crevices.

Step 5c - Paint Crevices of Stone Texture

Step 6: Assemble garden scene

a. Attach the various garden elements to the stone cookie base with small dabs of royal icing. If desired, spread some loose cookie crumbs so that it looks as though the dirt is spilling out of the bag.

Final Mom's Garden Cookie

Finished - a sweet springtime cookie for a mom, a plant enthusiast, or even just a chocolate lover!

Source:
Liz Marek, Sugar Geek Show, Modeling Chocolate Recipe

Samantha Yacovetta began cookie decorating in 2013. While working at a local bakery, Samantha became captivated by cookie art when a customer requested princess-themed cookies. Attracted initially to the precision of cookie decorating, Samantha soon found that the limitless design opportunities turned it into her artistic passion. Samantha began regularly stocking the bakery case with decorated cookies and for several years sold cookies through her own company, Aproned Artist, a cottage food operation. Having retired from the business life, Samantha now enjoys making cookies just for fun from her home in San Jose, California, USA. To learn more about Samantha, please check out her Cookie Connection portfolio, her Facebook page, and her past Every Little Detail tutorials here.

Photo and cookie credits: Samantha Yacovetta

Note: Every Little Detail with Aproned Artist is a monthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Samantha Yacovetta focused on the special little details that make big statements in cookie design. This article expresses the views of the author, and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. To read all of Samantha's past Every Little Detail tutorials, click here. And to see all of Cookie Connection's tutorials, click here.

Attachments

Images (18)
  • Mom's Garden Cookie - Where We're Headed!: Cookie and Photo by Aproned Artist
  • Step 1a - Shape Modeling Chocolate Flowerpot: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 1b - Shape Flowerpot Trim: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 1c - Add Trim to Flowerpot: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 1d - Dip Flowerpot in Icing: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Steps 2a, 2b, and 2c - Pipe Tulip Stems and Leaves: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 2d - Pipe Interior of Tulip: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 2e - Pipe Outer Petals of Tulip: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 2g - Add Dirt to Flowerpot: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 3a - Pinch Corners of Dirt Sack: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 3b - Shape Top of Dirt Sack: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 3c - Add Creases to Dirt Sack: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 3d - Dip Dirt Sack in Icing: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 3e - Add Dirt to Sack Opening: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Steps 4a and 4b - Pipe Spade Royal Icing Transfer: Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 5b - Texture Stone Base Cookie: Cookie and Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Step 5c - Paint Crevices of Stone Texture: Cookie and Photos by Aproned Artist
  • Final Mom's Garden Cookie: Cookie and Photo by Aproned Artist

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Comments (56)

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Wonderful little details, @Aproned Artist. (Your column is so aptly entitled . . . "Every Little Detail" is your trademark, for sure!)

Thanks, Julia! I really do try to make things that are less complicated, but I just can’t help myself.

Those tulips are everything! 😍😍😍  but also the spade, the dirt sack , the stone texture... amazing as always! 

Thanks, Manu! With one clumsy swipe of the hand, I managed to break off all the tulips right before I went to take the final picture. Disaster! Luckily, I had some extras.

Thanks, Manu! With one clumsy swipe of the hand, I managed to break off all the tulips right before I went to take the final picture. Disaster! Luckily, I had some extras.

When the cookies are finished and ready for the “title picture” of the tutorial... that is the most dangerous moment!!!

I can't get over those tulips! Now you have me thinking about using modelling chocolate. Thank you for such a great tutorial.

Thanks, Christine! This was my first time making modeling chocolate at home, and I was blown away. When you can control the quality of the chocolate, it tastes so good. I’ve always shied away from fondant because I hate the taste, but the modeling chocolate was easy to use and yummy.

Oh Samantha, this is such amazing tutorial!!! Absolutely wonderful and perfect!!  I love especially how you piped the leaves and the flowers! That the thin stems of icing don't break? !! Great, really great!!! ❤️😘  @Aproned Artist

This modeling chocolate looks fun to make and create something!  😍

Samantha, I am afraid that I cannot make tulips without breaking the stems....  😨

The modeling chocolate is really fun to use - just like clay.

The stems are sturdier than they look (as long as you don’t take a clumsy swipe at them like I did.) For my first attempt at the tulips, I didn’t let the center cone dry. I just piped the whole flower, and then watched (sadly) as it slid all the way down the stem. With cookies, I’m always learning. . .

Thanks, Christine! This was my first time making modeling chocolate at home, and I was blown away. When you can control the quality of the chocolate, it tastes so good. I’ve always shied away from fondant because I hate the taste, but the modeling chocolate was easy to use and yummy.

I guess I will soon find out. Your blog convinced me to order some candy melts! 

The modeling chocolate is really fun to use - just like clay.

The stems are sturdier than they look (as long as you don’t take a clumsy swipe at them like I did.) For my first attempt at the tulips, I didn’t let the center cone dry. I just piped the whole flower, and then watched (sadly) as it slid all the way down the stem. With cookies, I’m always learning. . .

Oh, even you are still learning.... almost every time I make mistakes and I learn. (most of the time, I don't know how....)    I try some tulips tomorrow.  Modeling chocolate, I note to get ingredients!   Thank you.  

I guess I will soon find out. Your blog convinced me to order some candy melts! 

Ooh, if I may interject . . . use real chocolate, not candy melts. There is a huge taste difference!

Ooh, if I may interject . . . use real chocolate, not candy melts. There is a huge taste difference!

Thank you for the advice! I ordered just a small bag, so I think that it will now make perfect project for my kids. Is there a type of real chocolate that is best to use?

Thank you for the advice! I ordered just a small bag, so I think that it will now make perfect project for my kids. Is there a type of real chocolate that is best to use?

Anything that has 100-percent cocoa butter (and no fat substitutes as in candy melts) will have a far better mouth feel. Anything with real cacao mass in it will taste like chocolate should. Use whatever chocolate you like best, but be sure it is high quality, like Valrhona, Callebaut, Guittard, etc., not Nestle. You need to use a different ratio of corn syrup to chocolate if working with white vs. semisweet real chocolate, however. White takes less corn syrup (I've got a blog post and video on all of this).

Anything that has 100-percent cocoa butter (and no fat substitutes as in candy melts) will have a far better mouth feel. Anything with real cacao mass in it will taste like chocolate should. Use whatever chocolate you like best, but be sure it is high quality, like Valrhona, Callebaut, Guittard, etc., not Nestle. You need to use a different ratio of corn syrup to chocolate if working with white vs. semisweet real chocolate, however. White takes less corn syrup (I've got a blog post and video on all of this).

Of course you have a video! I didn’t even think to look. I’ll have to go back and check it out.

I used Guittard, and it was fabulous!

Anything that has 100-percent cocoa butter (and no fat substitutes as in candy melts) will have a far better mouth feel. Anything with real cacao mass in it will taste like chocolate should. Use whatever chocolate you like best, but be sure it is high quality, like Valrhona, Callebaut, Guittard, etc., not Nestle. You need to use a different ratio of corn syrup to chocolate if working with white vs. semisweet real chocolate, however. White takes less corn syrup (I've got a blog post and video on all of this).

Thank you. I watched your video (plus a few more) and read your blog post. I can't wait to try this.

Of course you have a video! I didn’t even think to look. I’ll have to go back and check it out.

I used Guittard, and it was fabulous!

No worries. I don't expect that anyone knows my videos other than me.

Oh Samantha, this is such amazing tutorial!!! Absolutely wonderful and perfect!!  I love especially how you piped the leaves and the flowers! That the thin stems of icing don't break? !! Great, really great!!! ❤️😘  @Aproned Artist

Thank you, Gabi!

Those thin stems are stronger than you’d think, especially with the added support from the leaves.

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