Thimbleanna

Playing With a New Toy

74 Comments / Recipes / February 18, 2011

Back in July, Tartelette had a fantastic giveaway.  She was giving away this really cool Brigitte-Keks “Ausstecher-Set” which is a tool to “write” on cookies.  I seriously wanted this new little gadget, so I left a comment and  I won!

Shortbread

Ok, I didn’t really.  Are you kidding?  I’ve won a few giveaways lately, but there were 493 comments in Tartelette’s contest!  I’m not that lucky!  I searched all over the place to find one and they seemed to only be available here, on Amazon Germany.  I decided shipping would probably be too much so I gave up.  About a month later, I got an e-mail from an enterprising person selling them on e-bay.  I can only assume this seller contacted all of Tartelette’s losing commenters.

Anyway, I ordered one and I’ve been having fun playing with it.  I made a batch of shortbread (using Ina’s recipe) and “wrote” on some cookies.  It’s really fun and it really works!  (Of course it works better if you actually know how to make shortbread.  Since I didn’t have my Baking Buddy Extraordinaire here to advise me, I rolled my shortbread too thin and many of the words disappeared by the time the cookies came out of the oven.)

Shortbread Shortbread

My next batch of shortbread should be perfect though, ’cause “third time’s the charm”. The first time I made shortbread I cooked it too long and subjected the quilty peeps to really cute snowflakes that were as hard as rocks. I’ll be ready for that recipe next time — I’m even thinking about getting something like these rings to help me roll the shortbread out to the proper thickness.

Shortbread Shortbread

Just think of all of the possibilities for this little gadget.  I think they’d make great stocking stuffers or gifts for friends.  You could make cookies that say “Welcome Baby” or “Hello” or even individual names that could be used as place cards the next time you have your peeps over.  How ’bout insults?  Or Jokes?  The sky’s the limit!  I even had fun making a cookie for that darling little boy who belongs to Dear Fii.

Shortbread

I just wish he lived closer so that I could give it to him!

XOXO,
Anna

P.S.  I was going to provide the link to the ebay store where you could buy one of these gadgets, but the link appears to be empty.  I’m guessing the seller has sold out.  Hopefully, it’s just temporary.  His/her name is tesa999 in case he/she gets them in and you want to check later.

74 thoughts on “Playing With a New Toy”

  5. Anne K.

    Oh my gosh, what a FANTASTIC gadget! I’ve never seen anything like this – it’s great! Thanks for the tip, I’ll keep an eye out for it, too! I’m not much of a baker myself, but my sister is and it’d be a perfect gift…I’d just have to make her an apron to go with it…! :-)

  6. Kim

    What a brilliant idea! Who thought of this? It’s definitely another really cool gadget and everyone’s going to want one! Like guess who? ME! I especially love the cookie with your name on it! Sweet Post!!!

  7. Kim

    Hey, I just did a search on google for Brigitte-Keks “Ausstecher-Set” and your post came up as one of the search options. That’s cool!!!

  10. Penny

    Entertaining and yummy! You could even use it to bless your enemy! You could put something like “get a life” on some cookies and deliver it to your next door neighbor that you don’t get along with and they would probably thank-you for them! Such a great idea!

  11. MichelleB

    Shortbread cookies are my all time FAVORITE! And those rings – and writing thingy – how cute! I’m going to have my eye open for that stuff. The possibilities!

  12. Anita

    What a cool tool! I’m going to have to keep my eyes open for one. By the way I’ve never been to tartlets blog before – wow! I’ll never wear a smaller pant size if I visit her blog very often!

  13. brigita

    holy freakin’ crap woman. i find out about a post 12 comments later? i guess i’ll have to check in on you more often since you’re poppin’ ’em out like rabbits these days.
    i like penny’s idea of cookies with a bit of sarcasm. i could give one to MY next door neighbor that says: “you never apologized for screaming at us on CHRISTMAS and i’m baking you cookies anyway”. something like that. i think i’ll have to get one of those since i’m always baking for my neighbors. and i could give erma one that says “No, we don’t call you MRS. KRAVITZ behind your back, why do you ask?”
    now you make me want to go and make shortbread, and we just finished our last batch last night!
    ttfn

  14. Susan

    What a cool gadget and the possibilities of cookie messages are endless. It could replace conversation hearts on Valentine’s Day. Thanks for the info and ebay contact.

  16. Jen

    Those rolling pins rings are not necessary. Go to your local hardware or craft store and get a wooden dowel of the thickness you want your cookies. Cut said dowel in half. Put down parchment and your two dowels wherever you want to roll your cookie dough. Put your dough between the two dowels, cover with parchment and roll away! Your rolling pin will rest on the wooden dowels and your dough will be the perfect thickness that you need. That’s how I do my sugar cookie cutouts. Perfect cookies, all the time.

  20. Judy

    OK Anna now I’m jealous!! I want one too!! I feel better now cuz I entered the same giveaway and I didn’t win either–obviously. I looked for one but not as hard as you did. Now I’m obsessed with getting one. Oh dear!! I love your post, way too funny as usual.

  23. Tammy

    Oh I need that toy!!! Those cookies are adorable and then with the chocolate…I wish it was cool enough here to bake. I hope he gets more in, I am so moving that to the top of my wish list! Thank you for sharing :)

  25. Robin

    You are just the niftiest girl finding all these cool things – my mind is in over-drive thinking of all the smart-arse things I could put on them. Maybe I’ll write a book. Bake on my friend…Robin

  27. Jen

    I ordered mine through the German Amazon.com, had them shipped to a friend living in England, she brought them out on her latest visit. Seems like a lot of trouble, but it’s worth it. I am going to share the gadget with the reqional manager for Williams-Sonoma on Friday…maybe it will be available in the US soon…

  28. Kim

    It took a little bit of frustration to finally find tesa999 and the Brigitte cookie cutter set. Call me slow but I finally found him and he has 10 cookie cutter sets available. So go to this link and it will take you directly to it. Good luck on being one of the first 10 to get one. Thanks GINGER for the thumbs up because every search I did I came up with nothing so I kept at it and found him and bought one!!! By the way it’s $14.95 plus shipping.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Brigitte-cookie-cutter-set-new-from-germany_W0QQitemZ360072964525QQihZ023QQcategoryZ38138QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

  29. Kim

    Thanks again Anna for this great post and I’m so glad I found one. I can hardly wait to get it!!

    You’re posts are just so much fun!!!

    :)

  31. Vallen Queen

    Oh, the possibilities!!! I would make cookies for everyone I work with and leave them in their mailboxes. If you can’t say something nice, say it with sugar I always say.

  33. Jade

    That’s the fabbest blog giveaway prize ever! I can’t wait to start using our new kitchen/oven. Now just to find some time and one of those gadgets.

  42. Cassie

    I’m not sure I need the cookie stamp because I’m a flop in the kitchen, but I really need some cookies that say, “Suck it up, Princess.” Can you imagine how handy that would be for a mom of five girls?!? Oh, I could get so much mileage out of those…;-)

    Cassie

  43. gurney

    You are such an enabler! I read your post and thought how much fun the grandkids would have with this. I found it on eBay and ordered one. I think there are 7 left. Looks like fun!

  44. silverpebble

    Anna those biscuits are fab! What a magic little gadget – so lovely for children too – with names, or even clues for a treasure hunt or similar. Many thanks for the link to the ebay seller and the tips on shortbread thickness etc.

  45. silverpebble

    Anna those biscuits are fab! What a magic little gadget – so lovely for children too – with names, or even clues for a treasure hunt or similar. Many thanks for the link to the ebay seller and the tips on shortbread thickness etc. Emma x

  48. Amy

    Well, I think today I have officially seen it all…I love the cookie press. Your shortbread certainly looked good…I’d eat it.
    Amy

  50. meggie

    Hi Anna, just been catching up on your posts. You seem to have been having tons of fun, & some wonderful gifts, I doo dads to play with!
    I would love a piece of shortbread, thin or not!

  52. kim

    Oh well it wouldn’t have surprise me if you had won that giveaway as well!!! What a great gadget, oh I would have fun with one of those. Does it work on mash I wonder (Or had you already thought about that?)
    Kimx

  55. June

    I’d never heard of this before but think it’s awesome. Now I’ll try to find one for myself as my husband loves shortbread so I have to make it often for him. I use a shortbread mold and the following recipe.

    Traditional Scottish Shortbread

    6 oz plain flour
    4 oz soft butter
    2 oz granulated sugar
    1 oz cornstarch

    Mix the butter and sugar together (preferably with a wooden spoon) until it is pale and creamy. Sieve both the flour and the cornstarch into the bowl and mix well. Put a small amount of flour on your working surface and place the dough on this. Shake a little flour on top and roll out about quarter inch thick. Prick with a fork and cut into rounds with a cutter or, if you want one large shortbread round, pinch the edges with thumb and finger all round.

    Use a palette knife to lift the shortbread onto an oiled baking tray and bake for 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 325°. If the biscuits are ready, they will be pale brown and crisp; if not, return to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes. Shake a small amount of caster/granulated sugar on the top of the shortbread immediately after they have been removed from the oven. Use a palette knife to move them to a cooling rack and store in an airtight tin once they are cold.

  56. Angel Jem

    Cool toy. I want one…. (when the money tree blooms. And then lunch boxes will be fun, if a little embarrassing!)

  57. The Quickie Queen

    Oh my lands…I’m out in blog land this morning and lol…you and Pam Kitty are cracking me up!The sayings that you could send someone and with a little cookie could soften the blow. Really…what a great idea and how fun.

  61. Lissa

    Oh I gotta have one too… the fun I could have with that.. of course I’d have to start BAKING cookies, but would be worth the effort!

  65. Anna M.

    I tried to order one from Amazon Germany, but it said that it couldn’t ship it to me in the USA. Do you know any other place that I can find it? I’m dying to get one! =)

  68. Sherry

    Don’t use the rubber rings!! They don’t work, especially if you press too hard, which is very easy to do, and flatten them while you’re rolling. Go to Tap Plastics and have them cut 2 – 1 x 1/8 x 18″ pieces and 2 – 1 x 1/4 x 18″ pieces and position whichever size you need (1/8″ or 1/4″) on the right and left side of the cookie dough before you roll it. They are cheaper (about 75 cents each) and work way better than the rubber rings.

  73. Nan

    What an awesome gadget! I need one of those, as The Man LOVES shortbread. I would make him literally “eat his words”. LOL!!!
    I’m coming to live with you, Anna. Just to eat and sew and laugh! Notice I said “eat” first. Priorities, you know.

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