Here are some of my notes and plans before I start!

Elements to create:

1. Maneko in sugar dough cookie

2. Fish

3. Bells at neck

4. 3D Ingots

5. Base of Maneko in sugar dough Cookie

Colors to create, use and their consistency ( I used myfavour colors from www.sugarsmithinc.com)

1. Golden yellow (bell and ingots - stiff)

2. Orange (orange - stiff)

3. Green (orange - stiff)

4. Brown (orange - stiff)

5. White (flood - cat)

6. Red (Stiff - cat collar and fish accents)

7. Black (stiff - cat accents and collar)

8. Orange Red (fish body)

I really like this brand as the colors which are produced are really long lasting and for someone like me who does not want to eat the cookie and just want to keep them as showpiece.

I always feel that a good sugar dough recipe is the key to making beautiful iced cookies. too soft and it is difficult to cut the shape out, too hard and its dry to eat. If your cookie is oily, some times the oil might seep out to the royal icing and affecting the shelf life of your cookie. So here's my favourite sugar dough recipe and I hope you like it!

There are various recipes out there for Royal icing and I think this is my favourite. It dries really quick and since there are no other flavouring in it, the color is really white.

Cookie dough recipe

Butter. 63g

Icing Sugar. 63g

Vanilla Essence 2g

Egg. 25g

Flour. 138g

Using a stand mixer combine butter and icing sugar until smooth ( do not over beat, the mixture should not be white or fluffy).

In a bowl combine vanilla essence and egg.

Add flour and egg mixture in alternate until a dough is formed.

Royal Icing Recipe

Icing Sugar 250g

Wilton Meringue Powder 12.5g

Water 32g

In a stand mixer combine all the ingredients and beat until it is thick and corse. Add water to your desired icing consistency.