Candy Center for Candy Cookies

To prepare the sugar cookies:
1. Make your sugar cookie dough (see my recipe box for a recipe) and let it rest for 1 hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Roll out the dough.
4. Using cookie cutter shapes of your choice, for example, circles, cut one one large cookie dough circle and then cut out the center of the dough with a smaller circle cutter. Repeat until you’ve used up your dough.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

For the candy centers:
1. Combine isomalt and water in a heavy saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat, whisk until dissolved.
3. Monitor temperature with a candy thermometer. At 280 degrees Fahrenheit, liquid coloring can be added. A little goes a long way! Stir gently.
4. Cook until mixture reaches 310 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Pour liquid onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Wait a few minutes until the liquid has cooled a bit and set (this will depend on the heat/humidity in your environment, but on average will take about 10 minutes).
7. Use your cookie cutters to score the isomalt. Make sure you use a cutter size that will cover the hole in the cookie.
8. Let the isomalt cool for another hour, then gently break it apart where you have scored it with the cookie cutters.
9. Adhere to the back of the cookie with royal icing. (Icing recipe can be found in my recipe box).
10. Pipe royal icing designs onto the isomalt, if desired.