Nothing says “holidays” like a fresh warm cookie.
Whether it’s enjoying one yourself or leaving some behind for Santa Claus, the sweet treat is a staple for this time of year.
For those looking to learn how to give their cookies some pizzazz with unique holiday decorations, there’s no better person to learn from than professional pastry chef and Village of Mallory Square resident Rosemary Deneen.
Bringing a jar of sweet tips that Villagers can use for the holiday’s, Deneen is leading several classes with The Villages Enrichment Academy Fall-Winter program from Gingerbread Ornament Cookie Decorating to Cupcake Wreath Decorating.
“For the two-hour class, I provide everything, (class participants) just have to show up. It’s about exploring and trying something new,” Deneen said. “The decoration is not meant to be perfect.”
The chef hosted the Gingerbread Ornament Cookie Decorating class on Nov. 12, allowing students to get hands-on experience decorating eight holiday-shaped cookies.
To start the classes, Deneen does a short demonstration using royal icing (made from softly beaten egg whites and icing sugar) to create unique designs that resembles a winter theme — like snowflakes or Christmas trees, depending on the class assignment.
During the demos, students get all the information needed to repeat the decorating process at home from recipes to the cookies or information on where the items can be purchased.
Then, student have an hour-and-a-half to decorate their cookies or cupcake. Each cookie has a hole that can be used to tie a sting so the cookie can hang on any desired object, though the strings aren’t provided during the class.
Students also receive a box to take home their sweet treats.
Having taught TEA classes for more than two years, Deneen said that allowing students to get hands on experience has been the biggest change of the classes.
“I tell the students all the time, ‘I want you to have fun, the decorations aren’t meant to be perfect’,” Deneen said. “Most students end up being better at it than they thought they would be or that the process wasn’t as difficult as they thought.”
After training at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in France, Deneen crafted pastries for restaurants in Chicago. She also taught baking and pastry courses at Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois.
Because of her teaching background, Deneen says teaching a class through TEA was a natural fit for her — especially because she still enjoys watching others learn baking skills.
“It’s so rewarding to be able to teach someone a new skill and see them pick up. Some students say, ‘I’ll never get it like yours’. But I tell them, ‘Do it a few hundred times and you’ll get it,’” Deneen said with a laugh.
For those who prefer to learn the to make a cupcake wreath, the one-day classes will be held on Nov. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Lake Okahumpka Recreation, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon at Homestead Recreation, and Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to noon at Lake Miona Recreation.
Fees for this class is $45 for Villages residents, $51 for non-residents, plus a $20 supply fee to the instructor.
If you prefer to take on the Christmas challenge of decorating a gingerbread cookie ornament, enroll in the one-day TEA course on Dec. 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Lake Okahumpka Recreation or Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at Homestead Recreation.
Fees for this class is $45 for Villages residents, $51 for non-residents, plus a $20 supply fee to the instructor.
For more information about The Enrichment Academy, visit theenrichmentacademy.org.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
