Snow Globe Cookies

Directions

1. COOKIES:
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water and extracts until mixture forms a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 15-18 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
5. ROYAL ICING:
6. In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and cream of tartar; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, 4-5 minutes. Divide icing in half.
7. For stiff icing (used for outlining cookies), the frosting should form stiff peaks and hold its shape; if needed, add remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, a little at time, until desired consistency is reached.
8. For flood-consistency icing (used for filling in cookie design), a line cut through the icing with a spatula should take 15 seconds to disappear. Add water to the remaining half of the icing, a little at a time, stirring by hand, until the desired consistency is reached.
9. If desired, tint icing with food coloring. Place icing into piping bags fitted with small round tips. Working with 1 cookie at a time, pipe stiff icing around edge of cookie; fill with flood-consistency icing. Decorate with nonpareils and icing decorations as desired. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let cookies stand until icing is set, several hours or overnight.
10. DOME:
11. Place a heat-proof medium glass or metal bowl on your work surface. Cover the top with plastic wrap, making sure it is taut and tightly stuck to the edge of the bowl. Add a second layer of taut plastic wrap.
12. Lightly spray the inside of a 2-1/2-in. round cookie cutter with cooking spray. Set the cookie cutter on top of the plastic wrap over the center of the bowl.
13. Working in batches, place isomalt nibs in a heat-proof bowl; microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool 30-60 seconds before using.
14. Slowly pour 1 teaspoon melted isomalt into center of cookie cutter on top of plastic wrap. (At this point, you may want to wear kitchen gloves because the cookie cutter will get hot.) Very slowly and gently, press down on the edges of the cookie cutter until a sugar dome forms. Do not press too hard or plastic wrap may break. The dome should extend slightly above top of cookie cutter. Hold cutter in place until the sugar dome hardens, 2-3 minutes.
15. Once hardened, holding the outside of the cookie cutter, slowly and gently lift the cookie cutter with dome attached away from the plastic wrap. Set cookie cutter with dome on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Carefully run an offset spatula between the cookie cutter and dome, releasing the cookie cutter from the dome; remove cookie cutter. Let dome cool completely.
16. Repeat with remaining isomalt, remelting in microwave as needed, cleaning cookie cutter and teaspoon between each use, and using new plastic wrap over the bowl.
17. BUTTERCREAM:
18. In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (frosting will be thick). Place buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a small star tip.
19. ASSEMBLY:
20. Carefully pour 1-2 teaspoons nonpareils or sprinkles into inverted dome; gently place decorated cookie over dome. Flip so cookie is now on the bottom; gently pipe buttercream around edge of cookie to secure dome in place and seal in sprinkles/nonpareils. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until frosting is set. Store in airtight containers. Cookies are best enjoyed the day they are assembled.