Let me introduce you to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, and St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. I've always loved both of these saints. Since my sister was a singer all through school, and a music major in college, my mom talked a lot about St. Cecilia. I *always* think of my sister when I think of St. Cecilia.
These cookies started just like the others, with inspiration from the shop
Saintly Silver.
The cookies start by baking two shapes together to form one. For both of these, I used candy corn and circle cookie cutters. Place the
cut-out shapes next to each other on the cookie sheet before
baking and they will bake together to form one cookie. (I like to freeze
the shapes for 5-10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.)
To make them, you'll need:
Use a #2 tip to outline a circle for the face in copper icing. (You can see the start of
St. Michael here, also.) Reserve some of this piping consistency icing for later.
Thin the copper icing with water, a bit at a time,
stirring with a silicone spatula, until it is the consistency of a
thick syrup. You'll want to drop a "ribbon" of icing back into the bowl
and have it disappear in a count of "one thousand one, one thousand
two." Four is too thick, one is too thin. Count of 2-3 is good. Cover
with a damp dishcloth and let sit for several minutes.
Stir gently with a silicone spatula to pop and large air bubbles that have formed. Pour into a squeeze bottles.
Flood the face portion of the cookies with the thinned
icing, using a toothpick to guide to the edges and to pop large air
bubbles.
Let the icing dry at least one hour.
On St. Francis, use a #2 tip to outline hair and a beard on the face. Fill in the outline with the same piping consistency icing.
Use a toothpick to swirl the icing, pulling the toothpick up to create texture.
Outline the remainder of the cookie with a #2 tips, including the halo.
On St. Cecilia, use #2 tips to outline all of the parts of the cookie, including piping an outline for hair on top of the copper icing.
Reserve some of the piping consistency icing for later. Thin the brown, white, yellow, and blue icings for flooding as directed above. Fill in the outlines.
Let the cookies dry at least one hour.
Use a #2 tip to pipe an outline for folded hands on St. Francis in copper icing. Use a #2 tip to add lines for arms in brown icing. Thin the copper icing and fill in the hands outline. Let the icing dry for at least 30 minutes, then add the line on the hands.
For St. Cecilia, use a #2 and #1 tips to pipe a harp in yellow icing. Use a #2 tip to pipe detail on the blue robe. Use a #2 or 1 tip to pipe a white headband.
For St. Francis, use a #1 tip to add a bird on his shoulder in white icing.
Use a #1 tip to pipe eyes and a mouth on each.
Let the cookies dry uncovered 6-8 hours, or overnight.
The next day, use a pink food coloring pen to add rosy cheeks. (Warning: do not try this until the icing is COMPLETELY dry.)
