Baby Bump Chocolate Cookies

My dear friend Kimberley and her husband, Ken, are expecting their first child!! Needless to say, I am ecstatic for them both, as I know that they will be amazing parents. She is actually due February 9th, but her baby bump, is just that - a bump! Given her tiny stature, anything bigger would be torture...


In the very early stages of Kimmie's pregnancy, I was under a serious gag order. News like this should be announced from every street corner, with me behind the bullhorn - so you can imagine the restraint I had to employ. Now, I can't believe her due date is only a few weeks away - and I guess that could change depending on how eager the little one is to leave his/her current residence.

Kimberley has chosen to have her shower, post delivery. I think it's a great idea that, hopefully, will catch on. Why look at a belly when you could, the baby!?! 

I had first planned to make the usual bib, bottle, onesie, pacifier cookies, but when I found this silhouette online and this cookie recipe, plans quickly changed. My previous attempts at flooding have not gone as smoothly as I imagined they would (pun intended). I was hopeful, this being my fourth attempt, would be a little more successful. However, the royal icing refused to come to the desired consistency and took much longer than usual to dry. You'll notice less than perfect lines and uneven surfaces... but you know what - I can confidently say that they taste amazing! I will keep practicing my flooding and royal icing recipe - or switch back to fondant...

Using the template I found online, I outlined the silhouette on each cookie using an edible marker. I then piped the outline with white royal icing and flooded with same. I originally planed to use the silhouette to cut the shape of the cookies, but decided to cut the dough into 5x3 tiles and use as bakdrops for the silhouette. I then decorated the cookies using a couple of Kimberley's favourite colours - purple and orange. Sorry Kimmie - the skin tone is way off...

Some time ago, I purchased a few stencils from Designer Stencils - each order comes with a little, free sample stencil. It was the perfect size for this application. To dress up the outfit, I added silver dragees as necklaces.

Kimberley and Ken, I wish you both a safe delivery. We look forward to welcoming your little girl/guy!! 
Part 2 to follow his/her arrival...

If you are interested in trying out the cookies, here is the recipe.





Chocolate Cookies (adapted from LilaLoa)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon each of almond and coffee extracts

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup cocoa

3 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together. 

Add eggs and extracts. Mix well. 

Add baking powder and salt and mix again. 

Stir in the cocoa until well blended. 

Add flour 1 cup at a time. 

Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper. 

Cut to desired shapes.

Bake at 375 F for 6 1/2 minutes.

Let cool completely on wire rack before decorating.