BELL COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt

You will also need:
Royal Icing
Food coloring
Gold dragees
Gold ribbon

• Stir together flour, salt and baking powder.
• In medium-size bowl cream butter and vanilla.
• Gradually beat in sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Gather dough into a ball, flatten to a 5-inch round, and wrap in plastic.
• Refrigerate dough at least 50 minutes or overnight.
• When dough has chilled, lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).
• Cut dough round in half.
• Cut 2 pieces of waxed paper the same size as baking sheets.
• Lightly flour waxed paper and place one sheet on table or counter, floured side up.
• Place one half of dough in center and top with other waxed paper, floured side down.
• Roll out dough between paper to 1/8-inch thickness and remove top piece of sheet from dough.
• Using 4-inch bell shape cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible, leaving 1/2 inch between each shape, and remove all trimmings.
• Invert waxed paper with cookies onto greased baking sheet and peel off waxed paper.
• Repeat with remaining half of cookie dough to fill second baking sheet.
• Press all trimmings together and reroll between floured waxed paper.
•  If making cookies to use as hanging ornaments, use a  toothpick to pierce a small hole (about 1/2-inch from top center of each cookie).
• Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until just golden at edges.
• Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheets and remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• To decorate cookies as pictured use a pastry brush and paint the front of cookies with a thick coat of yellow Royal Icing (avoid pierced holes).
• While yellow icing is still wet, using white icing in decorating bag, top yellow icing with loops and swirls of white icing.
• Scatter 10-12 gold dragees over each bell and set aside to dry.
• Attach gold ribbons to hang cookies like ornaments from tree.
• To store, arrange cookies in a single layer in airtight container.
• * If cookies are to be displayed only and not eaten, they can be baked and decorated up to one month ahead.

• Put the sugar and cream of tartar into a basin and add egg white.
• Stir with a wooden spoon to make creamy consistency.
• Add lemon juice and stir well. 
• Stir well but avoid beating which causes air bubbles.
• If colored icing is required, add food coloring. 
• Save some icing before coloring (for white decorating).
•  If icing has to heavy consistency add 1-2 Tbsp. hot water and stir well.
• If cookies are to be eaten, do not use egg white; use 3 Tbsp. almost boiling water instead.
• To avoid egg whites you can use meringue powder and follow package directions for Royal Icing.