Sweet and simple cookie decorating

An expert in chocolate and cookies, Mona Natakusuma shares this easy recipe for an egg-white-based sugar glaze for cookies.

Use the glaze to decorate any kind of cookies, such as plain coffee biscuits available in supermarkets, or if you want a personal flavor, wipe the dust off your cookbooks and bake your own cookies.

The colors and designs are endless, the only limit is your own creativity.

Mona said that the glaze could be mixed with food essence, like coffee, vanilla, almond or other personal favorites, but make sure that they match the flavor of the cookie.

As it is a fun and harmless activity, you could even involve your children in decorating the cookies.

The cookies can keep for at least a week or two, as long as they are properly stored in an airtight container. Also, remember that it is best to keep different flavors in different containers to maintain their flavor and aroma.

Egg-white-based sugar glaze * 250g-300g icing sugar * 1 egg white * a little water * food colorings * small plastic bags (for decorating) * food essence (optional)

1. In a bowl, beat the sugar and egg white together using an electric mixer until thick and foamy. Lift the beater; the sugar mixture should have the consistency of honey. Adjust the consistency with a little more sugar to make it thicker, or water if it is too thick. 2. Divide the mixture and mix in essence and different food colorings, stir until well combined. 3. Gently spoon each colored mixture into a decorating bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and squeeze the mixture from each bag, like an icing pipe, so that you can draw patterns on the cookies. 4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven on a low heat. Then arrange the decorated cookies on a cooking wire and cook them until the glaze is set, which should be for five to ten minutes. Remove from oven, let the cookies cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

-- Maria Endah Hulupi