These adorable mini biscuits are a happy reminder of childhood parties and a fun treat to bake and decorate with your own kids, using a Closed Star Nozzle.
I ced Gems began life as the accidental invention of a British company, Huntley and Palmer, who created a batch of mini biscuits by mistake, more than 150 years ago. They went on to sell them as ‘Gems’ and it was another 60 years before they added the icing to the top. Make your own version of this popular party treat using the Closed Star Nozzle that comes with this issue. This is a great treat to bake and decorate with kids, too.
You will need:
Mini biscuits
200g stiff peak royal icing
Food colour: pink, green, blue
Equipment:
4 mixing bowls and spoons
Cocktail sticks
Closed star nozzle
Small piping bags
Small flat paintbrush
Step-by-Step Mini Star Gems
Divide your royal icing between four bowls. Tint one bowl in blue, one in green and one in pink using cocktail sticks to dab in and build up colour gradually. Leave the fourth bowl white.
Place your Closed Star Nozzle in a small piping bag and half fill it with blue icing. Holding a biscuit with one hand, place the nozzle in the centre of the biscuit and gently squeeze the piping bag until the icing comes out. Pipe a frilled ‘star’.
When you’re happy with the size of the star, stop squeezing and pull the nozzle away quickly. If you get a pointed peak, pat it down with a flat damp paintbrush.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to pipe the rest of your blue Mini Star Gems, and then to pipe your green, pink and white gems. Set the biscuits to one side and allow the royal icing to harden for 20 minutes before serving them.
