little miss sweetie: Rosewater Lace Cookies

I came across this beautiful edible lace on Pinterest the other day. Needless to say, I was instantly obsessed! Turns out, this is a special flexible icing made by Sugarveil, once scraped onto a silicon lace mat and dried, it becomes an delicate and elegant lace icing. Magic!

After days of waiting in anticipation, my package was finally delivered from Sugarveil. Of course I had to bake with it right away! I decided to make something floral and romantic to complement the lace...so I made rosewater cookies. The possibilities are virtually endless with this lace...I'm already planning to wrap it around my next cake!

Rosewater Lace cookies
makes about 25

For the Sugarveil lace:
5 oz package of sugarveil icing
1/2 cup boiling water

Combine the icing powder with boiling water. Whisk lightly to wet the powder. In a stand mixer, beat on high speed for 4 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy.

Spread about 3 tablespoons of the icing across the silicon mat with a spreading tool.

Allow to set. Setting time is dependent on humidity, it can be 30 minutes to overnight. (My lace took around 3 hours.)

Icing will be firm and detach easily from the surface. Carefully peel lace away from silicon mat. Store between parchments in an airtight container.

Here is a detailed tutorial from Sugarveil:

For the cookies:
180g butter, at room temperature
90g sugar
2g salt
1 teaspoon rosewater
270g all-purpose flour

Preheat convection oven to 325ºF.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium low speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and salt, continue beating for 2 more minutes. Add rosewater, beat just until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add half the flour, beat until incorporated, about 15-30 seconds. Add the remaining flour and beat until dough comes together in large clumps and any traces of flour have disappeared, about 30 seconds.

Turn out the dough on a working surface. Gather dough into a ball and shape into a square disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until dough is firm.

With a large rolling pin, roll out chilled dough between two pieces of plastic film. Roll dough into a square approximately 10 X 10 inches.

With a sharp knife, cut four lines evenly horizontally and vertically, creating 25 squares of about 2X2 inches. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment. If dough has become soft, refrigerate again until firm enough to transfer to baking sheet.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are light golden. Cool completely on wire racks.

For the rosewater royal icing:
2 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
1/3 + 2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
500g icing sugar
1 teaspoon rosewater

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine meringue powder with warm water. Whisk by hand until meringue powder has thoroughly dissolved, about 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar. Whisk by hand until incorporated, about 30 seconds more.

Add icing sugar all at once. With the paddle attachment, beat on medium low speed for 10 minutes. Icing will become smooth and glossy. Add the rosewater and beat for one more minute. Thin out the consistency with warm water in 1/2 teaspoons increments if necessary.

With a butter knife, draw a line in the middle of the icing. If line disappears within 5-10 seconds, it is at the right consistency. If it takes longer, the icing is too thick and needs more water. If it takes less time, the icing is too thin and needs more icing sugar.

Store icing in a airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

To assemble the cookies:
Fill a piping bag, fitted with a no.2 fine plain tip, with 1 cup of royal icing.

Working with one cookie at a time, pipe a border around each cookie, then fill in the rest with the same icing. Gently shake the cookie to smooth and even out the icing. Set on wire rack to cool.