Luck O' The Irish!

So I took a little break from the cupcake pattern to celebrate St Patrick's Day and play with royal icing.  So to start an Irish Blessing...

“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.”

 

 

I know what you are thinking...what does this quote have to do with cupcakes...NOTHING.  I just like it, it is one of my favorite quotes.  So here are the facts.  My brother in law has been doing some major research into my families tree.  Come to find out we are not as Irish as we thought we were or as we were told we were.  But still we are Irish...so I make Irish Soda Bread.  Someone right off the boat taught me how to make this and I will share it with you.

Irish Soda Bread 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

You are first want to boil 1/2 cup of raisins.  Place them in a pan, add water and boil for 20 minutes.  The remove water and let cool.

 

 

In a bowl combine...

 

2 cups of sifted flour (King Arthur is the best to use!)

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 teaspoons softened butter

 

Combine these ingredients with a wooden spoon.  The dough will ball up into little pieces.  Then begin to add 1/2-3/4 cups of Butter Milk.  Add raisins, remove from the bowl and then begin to kneed the dough.  Kneed it into a circular shape.

 

Cut an "X" into the top of the bread.  Irish proverb says it is to release the fairies from the bread.  

 

Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for 45-55 minutes and enjoy!

Now onto the sweet sugar cookies I made that day too!

Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

 

The cookie recipe I am sorry I will not share with you.  It is not mine to share, sorry.  But I will tell you any recipe will do.  I made the dough, rolled and bakes as the directions stated.

After the cookies cooled I prepared the Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

2 Large Egg Whites

3 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice

3 cups of sifted powdered sugar 

In an electric mixer ( I could sing the praises of my Kitchen Aid mixer ALL DAY) combine egg whites and lemon juice for 2 minutes on medium.  Then slowly add powered sugar until desired thickness.  Remember that you need to have thick icing to make the outline on your cookie.  Then you add water to thin frosting to flood the cookie.  If the frosting is too thin just add more sugar.

You need to go slow and be patient when you flood it takes time but the results are so worth it!  I was so happy with them and everyone LOVED them.

These cookies helped a sweet little boy enjoy his ride home!