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Martha by Mail Flag and Shield Cookie Cutters

If you want to make the most patriotic cookies this season, reach for the collectible cookie cutters from Martha by Mail shaped like a flag and shield. The giant closed-back cookie cutters made of copper were offered for a very short period of time through Martha by Mail.  This set was the nineteenth design for the large, closed-back cutters from American coppersmith, Michael Bonne, through Martha by Mail.  They have since become classic Americana and are highly sought after by bakers and collectors.    

Use the iconic cookie cutters to create American flags and shields this season to give as gifts for Independence Day.  Everyone is going to want one! 




Decorating the Cookies

Use royal icing to decorate your patriotic cookies to look like the ones on the front of this card.  You will also need gel food coloring in red and blue, a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip, an offset spatula or toothpick, dragées and tweezers (optional), and sanding sugar.

Royal Icing
Makes about 2 cups

Consistency may be thinned by adding water.  To tint the icing, add two or three drops of gel food coloring after mixture is smooth.  Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Place meringue powder and a scant 1/2 cup water in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Whisk mixture on low until combined.  Add sugar, scraping sides of bowl as needed; beat until soft peaks form and mixture is smooth, 10 minutes.
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Flooding:  Provide a smooth icing base for decorating  Using pastry bag and tip, pipe outline of icing around area of cookie to be filled.  Let set.  Draw icing zigzags within outline, and spread to an even layer with offset spatula or toothpick.

Piping:  Using pastry bag and tip, pipe a design onto a plain cookie or one that has been flooded.  For raised piping, the icing underneath must be dry; for a smooth, flat design, pipe on top of wet icing.

Flocking:  To add sparkle, draw designs in icing, then sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Let stand 1 hour; tap off excess sugar.  Or use tweezers to set dragées on wet icing.


If you feel like making even more designs, use the Martha by Mail Moon and Star Cookie Cutters to add that extra sparkle and color to your Fourth of July celebration.  Simple flooded bases get outlines and flourishes in our flag's red, white and blue.

Here is a nice dessert table set up from Martha by Mail using the collectible L.E. Smith Glass cake stands.  The cupcakes add a nice touch with their colorful sprinkles and flag toppers, and the cookies look extra tempting wrapped in clear cellophane.


If you're lucky enough to own this beautiful set of cookie cutters, let these catalog images inspire you to make festive cookies this Independence Day. Our nation's stars and stripes are simply beautiful.


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Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 6, 2015 at 10:17 AM

    D. In Martha's book Entertaining she teaches the penniless baker to use a grid to draw a shape to enlarge and trace and cut from tag board. One then when pleased with the shape and size of the new template uses it to carve the cookie dough with a sharp knife into the new shaped cookie to bake. Yes, this hands on approach is time consuming resourceful and puts not a penny into the pocket of MHKS. Penniless, as the copper cookie cutters cost a pretty penny but then today they are probably just as expensive and at the time I received my MYM catalog my discretionary income was zero. PS every copy of MS cookbooks I own I found at tag sales!! From weddings to Gardening to Entertaining the classics less then 10 bucks each -- I think I scored. She taught me to be thrifty.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Things by DavidJune 6, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    Yes, I remember seeing that in Entertaining. In fact, I've done that many times where I've not had a particular shape--works great for gingerbread houses!

    Don't you just love coming across a good bargain at tag sales? I've been VERY lucky at library book stores. They go for $1-$2 sometimes!

    Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete

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