Recipes

On this page I have set up links to my favourite recipes as opposed to actual recipes. These are recipes that I have done 8-9 months of research on and tried and tested in my kitchen with my Australian ingredients / measures. I love them all and this is what works for me....

Royal Icing Recipe

My Favourite Royal Icing Recipe you can find here on Sweetopia. It really is magic like Marian says and you should check out her whole site - she has amazing tips and tricks on cookie decorating. I have not put the full recipe here as Marian has done a beautiful FREE printable version of it, you can't improve on that. I have tried a few different ones and this is the one that works best for me. 

A few tips about this recipe for my Australian readers:-

• I use a product called Pavlova Magic instead of meringue powder. Its basically meringue powder, as its designed to make meringues (Pavlovas). I use a straight substitution for the same amount as the recipe calls for (5 tablespoons - see note below). It works great for me as I am in a small(ish) country town without any decorating supply stores and this product I can get at my grocery store. It also works out cheaper than meringue powder :)

• The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of water - note that this an American cup which is 237mls (one whole cup). Our Australian cups are 250mls. That tiny amount is probably not going to effect your icing much but if you find its a little on the runny side it might be worth making it a 'scant' (not quite full) 3/4 cup of warm water.

• Also note that American tablespoons are 15mls where as Australian ones are 20mls. With 5 tablespoons of meringue powder using an Australian measuring spoon you are actually putting in more than 6. I do find that this can effect your icing. Just something else to keep in mind. Lots of kitchen supply stores and discount stores sell measuring spoon sets that are "american" with 15ml tablespoons just have a look around. Or of course, just use 4 tablespoons of a 20 mls tablespoon (hoping my maths here is right as that has never been a strong suit for me!)

Special thanks for to Marian from Sweetopia for letting me share her recipe.

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Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe

My favourite chocolate sugar cookie recipe you can find here.  Its not called the "End-All Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe" for nothing. You don't have to try anything else, the wonderful Georganne at Lilaloa has tried and tested it all, for all of us.

For my Australian readers, a few notes about this recipe:-

• I used all butter as Georganne suggests if you don't want to use shortening. You could try 'Copha' for the shortening but personally I have never really liked the taste it brings to baked goods.
• Granulated sugar = our regular white sugar
• I left out the baking powder, I don't know if baking powder is different strengths in different countries but to get a good shape that stays that way when baked I find in a lot of recipes I need to leave out the baking powder all together. This is just me, baking powder might work for you, try it and let me know.
• I used the Cadbury Cocoa in mine and they tasted really good and chocolatety 
• Follow Georganne's rules with the flour (this is our regular plain flour - do use self raising). I make my cookies straight away so only used the 3 cups. 
• As with the royal icing recipe above remember Australian measures are a different size.

Special thanks for to Georganne from Lilaloa for letting me share her recipe.