A Bench in the Woods|Manu

Short version:
For this project I used three molds: two made by myself (for the rectangular cookie and and for my name "Manu") and one silicone mold (for the leaves). Please see last picture attached.

Longer version:
While reading these words "you can make your own molds" and "everything is in your kitchen is a potential mold", an image came to my mind: a tin/copper sheet.

At the elementary school (3rd grade/about 40 yrs ago) we embossed a tin/copper sheet. It was very easy and lot of fun. We had to draw something on a paper, put the drawing on this metal sheet and trace on the drawing to impress the metal underneath. Actually it is possible to draw directly on the tin/copper sheet (... sky would be the limit with a projector, today).

Then feeling the drawing popping out from the metal surface was amazing.
Anyway, memories of a kid... to make the story short that image led me to experiment with my own mold (as there are lots of copper molds for cakes sold in the shops) and this is the outcome:

The main scene:
I sketched a Fall scene in the wood: a bench and some pumpkins nearby, one of them is sitting on the bench, there are trees in the background, and a big tree on the left.

I had the mold, but I wasn't sure if it would have worked out or what kind of dough to use, and not sure whether to tint the dough before or after baking the cookie.
I had all my answers after @Chris (FlourSugarButter) posted his beautiful variety of Springerle. So I researched and experimented with the Springerle dough. I pushed the dough into the mold rather than pressing the mold onto the dough (my apologies to the tradition) as the mold is very thin and could lose very easily its shape. The amazing thing is how the impression became more vivid hour by hour. The detail of the leaves on the lower right could hardly be seen right after the embossing but it was there the day after as the dough dried.

The leaves:
I used a silicone mold for the leaves. I let them rest and baked the next day. With my great surprise not only they held their shape and impression but they became puffy and something grew underneath them while baking, so they were just perfect as they weren't flat anymore.

Manu:
I have played with my watermark also in this challenge. I made a "Manu" mold. This one was pressed onto the dough and then I cut the edges with a cutter.

To color or not to color:
I decided not to color the cookies and to leave the "Springerle look" because I was afraid that the color would have somehow covered the embossing.

Make your own mold:

The molds I have used for this challenge:

Wow! That's so clever using copper molds. I think you should score extra points for the beautiful copper art that you have created. Your cookies and composition are excellent, and I love how the leaves appear to be gently falling to the ground!

Thank you for the excellent explanation

Such creative Manu!! Loveeee 

Sweet Prodigy posted:

Wow! That's so clever using copper molds. I think you should score extra points for the beautiful copper art that you have created. Your cookies and composition are excellent, and I love how the leaves appear to be gently falling to the ground!

Thank you, Christine! I love the way the leaves turned out and that something very close to the typical "Springerle foot" came out while baking them. This way they are not flat and they add dynamics to the scene.

Marimen posted:

Thank you for the excellent explanation

Thank you, I am glad you appreciated it!

Cool Sweets posted:

Such creative Manu!! Loveeee 

Thank you! Always kind!

Love the copper mold - it's beautiful in itself.

Excelente trabajo felicidades!

Julia M. Usher posted:

Love the copper mold - it's beautiful in itself.

Thank you so much, Julia, once again I am here to tell you how your CC and these Challenges inspire me...

CHELY Morales posted:

Excelente trabajo felicidades!

Thank you, Chely! I loved your Bùho!

Manu posted:

CHELY Morales posted:

Excelente trabajo felicidades!

Thank you, Chely! I loved your Bùho!

Muchas gracias Manu. Tu entrada está preciosa y muy creativa también!

Aaaaaaah! So nice! And you have used a Springerle recipe. I loved your mold and your sign and the leaves! Really nice and this challenge is so inspiring as we all get to learn so much new things and discover so much creativeness in what we do!

Love it, congrats Manu! I should give springerle a try, now I don't have excuses with this DIY molds ♡♡♡♡

Manu posted:

Sil Quiroga *Homemade Cookies by Sil* posted:

Aaaaaaah! So nice! And you have used a Springerle recipe. I loved your mold and your sign and the leaves! Really nice and this challenge is so inspiring as we all get to learn so much new things and discover so much creativeness in what we do!

Love it, congrats Manu! I should give springerle a try, now I don't have excuses with this DIY molds ♡♡♡♡

Thank you, Sil, here is the link to the recipe I used:

http://www.houseonthehill.net/...n-springerle-cookies

Hey you genious!!! Thank youuuu!!!

My dought always is what is:

2 lb. box sifted cake flour?

@Sil Quiroga *Ricas Cookies*

Sifted should be another way to say sieved, that's what google translator said (native English pls forgive me!). I always sieve the flour.

Manu posted:

@Sil Quiroga *Ricas Cookies*

Sifted should be another way to say sieve, that's what google translator said. I always sieve the flour.

Yes, but what I don't understand is what is cake flour. Is it self rising flour or is it refered to put a box of those powder with which we make cakes? That part is the one I don't understand quite much.

Wow! This is really clever and beautiful!

Fernwood Cookie posted:

Wow! This is really clever and beautiful!

Thank you, Kerri! 

FABULOUS! I love your handmade copper mold, genius...the result is amazing! ❤️

Manu posted:

Short version:
For this project I used three molds: two made by myself (for the rectangular cookie and and for my name "Manu") and one silicone mold (for the leaves). Please see last picture attached.

Longer version:
While reading these words "you can make your own molds" and "everything is in your kitchen is a potential mold", an image came to my mind: a tin/copper sheet.

At the elementary school (3rd grade/about 40 yrs ago) we embossed a tin/copper sheet. It was very easy and lot of fun. We had to draw something on a paper, put the drawing on this metal sheet and trace on the drawing to impress the metal underneath. Actually it is possible to draw directly on the tin/copper sheet (... sky would be the limit with a projector, today).

Then feeling the drawing popping out from the metal surface was amazing.
Anyway, memories of a kid... to make the story short that image led me to experiment with my own mold (as there are lots of copper molds for cakes sold in the shops) and this is the outcome:

The main scene:
I sketched a Fall scene in the wood: a bench and some pumpkins nearby, one of them is sitting on the bench, there are trees in the background, and a big tree on the left.

I had the mold, but I wasn't sure if it would have worked out or what kind of dough to use, and not sure whether to tint the dough before or after baking the cookie.
I had all my answers after @Chris (FlourSugarButter) posted his beautiful variety of Springerle. So I researched and experimented with the Springerle dough. I pushed the dough into the mold rather than pressing the mold onto the dough (my apologies to the tradition) as the mold is very thin and could lose very easily its shape. The amazing thing is how the impression became more vivid hour by hour. The detail of the leaves on the lower right could hardly be seen right after the embossing but it was there the day after as the dough dried.

The leaves:
I used a silicone mold for the leaves. I let them rest and baked the next day. With my great surprise not only they held their shape and impression but they became puffy and something grew underneath them while baking, so they were just perfect as they weren't flat anymore.

Manu:
I have played with my watermark also in this challenge. I made a "Manu" mold. This one was pressed onto the dough and then I cut the edges with a cutter.

To color or not to color:
I decided not to color the cookies and to leave the "Springerle look" because I was afraid that the color would have somehow covered the embossing.

Make your own mold:

The molds I have used for this challenge:

Thank you for sharing this fantastic step by step tutorial! So useful and very creative!!! ❤️

Manu, lovely entry, lovely autumn scene, great copper work...well, everyhting is great!