Tea Cookies

Directions

1. 1
   Beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined (do not overbeat; mixture will curdle at this stage, but will come together later). Stir in combined sifted flours in 2 batches; mix to a soft dough. Knead dough on floured work surface until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 mins.
2. 2
   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line 2 baking pans with parchment paper.
3. 3
   Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using teacup and teapot cutters, cut 10 of each shape from dough, re-rolling as necessary. Place shapes about 1 inch apart on prepared pans.
4. 4
   Bake for 15 mins, or until firm and browned lightly. Cool on pan 5 mins. Remove from pan; completely on wire rack.
5. 5
   Knead fondant on work surface dusted with a little cornstarch until it loses its stickiness. Divide into 5 equal portions. Tint each portion with one of the food colors. Wrap separately in plastic wrap.
6. 6
   Roll each fondant portion separately on a cornstarch-dusted work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using cutters, cut 10 teacups and 10 teapots from fondants, re-rolling as necessary. Reserve all fondant scraps and wrap separately in plastic wrap.
7. 7
   Working with 2 or 3 shapes at a time, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg white; position fondant shapes on cookies.
8. 8
   For the royal icing, sift the powdered sugar through a fine sieve. Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl with an electric mixer until mixture is just broken up; do not whip into peaks. Beat in the powdered sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until you have the required consistency. When icing reaches the right consistency, mix in the lemon juice using a wooden spoon.
9. 9
   Fit piping bag with small plain tip. Fill the bag three-quarters full with royal icing. Pipe outlines and lines on cookies, as pictured.
10. 10
    Re-roll fondant scraps on work surface dusted with cornstarch to 1/16-inch thickness. Using blossom cutters, cut 20 small and 10 large blossoms from fondant. Secure 10 small blossoms to large blossoms with a little royal icing; secure to teapot cookies. Secure remaining small blossoms to teacup cookies with a little royal icing.
11. 11
    Pipe a dot of royal icing in the center of each flower. Using tweezers, position a sugar pearl in each flower center. Pipe dots around flowers on teapots; pipe dots in teapot lids.
12. 12
    Once decorated and dried, layer the cookies carefully between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. They will keep for about 4 weeks at room temperature.