352422 Mon Dec 18 18:28:48 -0800 2006 6 31 Home Cooking 0 2109862 I want to gild some of my Christmas cookies (sand cookies to which I added Turkish candied chestnuts, will post recipe if anyone can still muster interest in the topic). Got the luster dust at NY Cake and Baking Distributors. The cookies are rolled in sugar before baking. Do I just add the luster dust to the sugar, which is what I was planning on? If so, proportions? If anyone has any experience with using this stuff, please let me know. Many thanks in advance! Mon Dec 18 18:28:49 -0800 2006 13709 buttertart 1 2109886 I think it is better used on solid dry items, like an iced cookie when the frosting has dried (which is how I have used it), or on tempered chocolate. The luster would get diluted in all the powdered sugar. Do these cookies get more sugar after baking? Mon Dec 18 18:33:28 -0800 2006 2109862 13150 babette feasts 1 2109983 Are the cookies rolled in powdered sugar or granulated sugar? If they're rolled in powdered, I kind of agree that luster dust would get "lost" and not show up well. If they're rolled in granulated, you might be able to brush the luster dust over the cookies after rolling (I use a small unused eyeshadow brush, but you could probably use a small paint brush from the hardware store). Usually, I think luster dust is used on more solid surfaces. It shows up really well on set chocolate ganaches or hard chocolate candies. I've mixed it with a tiny amount of vodka and "painted" designs or words onto smooth ganache frosting. Mon Dec 18 18:56:25 -0800 2006 2109862 42944 leanneabe 1 2110025 Liquifying it and painting is an effective way to use it. You can also use a dry brush and "blush" it on dry Royal Icing or fondant. I've never tried it on other surfaces but I would imagine anything that has a bit of moisture, like chocolate, or tooth on the surface would hold it as well. I would also imagine that if you dilute it as leanneable suggests you could airbrush it onto surfaces. But, again, I've never tried that as I don't have an airbrush setup. Mon Dec 18 19:04:30 -0800 2006 2109862 17969 rainey 1 2113153 Thanks all - I lashed out last night and mixed it into the dredging sugar, and it made very little impact - cookies have a cracked top so this is apparently not the way to go. Still thinking! Tue Dec 19 17:48:21 -0800 2006 2109862 13709 buttertart 1 2113640 I have no experience with luster dust, but I have burnished the pie-crust leaves on my apple tart with powdered gold dust, after baking. It seemed maybe just a bit much, but was actually pretty impressive on the dessert buffet. I have a photo of two tarts, one with the gold dust and one without, side by side, but it's in Word and I don't know how to post it here. Tue Dec 19 19:58:14 -0800 2006 2109862 10787 Deenso 1 2113688 I think the luster dust is meant to be brush on the product after you have cooked it and cool it. I never baked it into any item, because the heat might melt it. You might have to see if there is some labeling advice about how much heat the product can take. I would suggest that you take a brush and apply the luster dust after the cookies have cooled. Maybe you should mix it with a silver or gold to make the cookies sparkle. Tue Dec 19 20:12:10 -0800 2006 2109862 59597 foodie_girl