Chocolate Pirate Ship Cookies with White Icing

Submitted by Laura Sams

 

These are cookies I made as props for our author photograph.  I bought the chocolate cookie dough at the store, but I did decorate the cookies.   The icing recipe I used was the Wilton Class Decorating Icing, medium consistency, as follows:

 

 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 Tablespoons milk

1 cup solid vegetable shortening (like Crisco)

1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder

1 pound sifted confectioner's (powdered) sugar

a pinch of salt

Sift the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl, then set aside.  Cream together the shortening, flavorings and milk.  Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.  Blend an additional minute or so, until really creamy.   You want the icing to be a good consistency for writing -- not too stiff but not too runny.  If you don't have cake decorating tips, you can use a plastic ziploc bag.  Put some icing in a ziploc bag, and then snip the corner of the bag to create a small hole.  Squeeze icing out that hole and have fun decorating!  I practiced making a few different ship shapes based on the cookie in the book.