The Cookie Tree Recipes

Steps:

• COMBINE flour and salt in large bowl. Beat shortening, sugar and vanilla in separate large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in egg yolks and orange juice. Gradually stir in flour mixture to form a soft dough. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, shaping each into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 hours or overnight.
• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough, one piece at a time, to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface.* Keep remaining dough chilled until ready to use. Cut out a total of 24 cookies, using the 2 largest cookie cutters 4 times each and the 8 remaining cookie cutters 2 times each. Bake on prepared baking sheets, 16 minutes for small cookies, 18 minutes for large cookies, or until edges begin to brown and centers are set. (Group similar size cookies on same baking sheet for even baking.) Carefully slide baked cookies on parchment paper onto work surface. Cookies may be fragile while warm. Cool completely.
• STIR powdered sugar and meringue powder in large bowl until combined. Add water. Beat with electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 to 7 minutes. If necessary, add additional powdered sugar or water to reach the desired spreading consistency. (Keep frosting covered with damp cloth to prevent hardening.) Reserve one of the smallest size cookies for later use. Spread icing over remaining cookies, immediately topping with decorator sprinkles.
• PLACE one of the largest size cookies on decorative platter to begin assembly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon remaining icing onto center of cookie. Repeat to stack additional 22 cookies on top, by decreasing size, rotating each cookie slightly to stagger points of stars. To complete decoration, hold reserved small cookie by its edges and coat both side with frosting. Decorate as desired. Stand upright on top of tree, securing with a small dab of icing. Let stand until icing is firm.

Steps:

• To make the cookie tree: Refer to the tree template and copy its shape onto a piece of foam core. Use a paring knife to cut out tree shape and discard. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Lay the foam board on top of the parchment paper. Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate inside the foam template, careful to coat to the edges. Let the chocolate harden slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. The chocolate will be firm enough to cut, but it will not be hard. Lift the template away from the chocolate tree. Move this finished piece to a clean space on your work surface out of the way. Repeat the process 7 more times so you'll have 8 tree outlines.
• For the support: Roll a piece of parchment paper to make a tube about 1/2-inch in diameter. Tape the paper closed. Fill the tube with tempered white chocolate to six inches. Let the chocolate harden slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. The chocolate will be firm enough to cut, but it will not be hard. Cut 3 pieces of the chocolate tube, each about 2-inches long. These will be used to support the tree when it is glued together.
• To make the base: Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate on the paper. This will be the base for your tree. Let the chocolate harden. You can also paint a piece of cardboard with chocolate to create the base. That will be sturdier and allow you to move it more easily.
• Use the tempered chocolate to "glue" the first tree piece to the base. Join the second tree piece using the small tubes of chocolate for additional support where the tree pieces meet. Continue "gluing" the pieces together until all 8 are assembled. Let stand until the chocolate is dry.
• You can decorate your tree with homemade or store-bought cookies or candy. Use the tempered chocolate to glue the decorations onto the tree. You can string popcorn or cranberries. You can glue mini candy-coated chocolate baking bits onto the tree to represent lights. Use your imagination and have fun!