Shuttlecock Cookies

Here in Kansas City, Missouri, the Shuttlecocks by Claes Oldenburg and Coojse van Bruggen, have graces the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for over 15 years. They  are an institution, a trademark, and a common background for museum visitors' photos. We decided to pay edible tribute to these landmarks with Shuttlecock sugar cookies.

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3 1/4 Cups of Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Stand/electric Mixer
Sift
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Small Circle Cookie Cutter
Triangle Cookie Cutter
Spoon/ Rubber Spatula

Cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Then add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Wrap 2/3 of  the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours. Add red food coloring into the remaining dough. Lightly knead until the color is incorporated. Wrap the red dough in plastic wrap and chill.

Lightly flour a large counter surface, as well as a rolling pin. Place the white dough onto the flour and roll to 1/4 of an inch thick. Use the triangular cookie cutter to cut the bottom of the shuttlecock. Ball the excess dough and re-roll. The dough will make around 20 cookies.

Roll out the red dough to 1/4 of an inch thick and cut using the circular cutter. You should get the same number of circles as you do triangles.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the cookies about an inch apart on the cookie sheet and bake for approximately nine minutes, until lightly brown on the edge. Allow the cookies to rest on the sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

In order to make the feather pattern, you need a stiff icing that can be piped. Royal icing works very well for lines. 
Ingredients
1 egg white
1 cup of confectioners (powdered) sugar
 Mix the egg white and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a large microwave safe bowl.Heat on high for until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees 9 about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining sugar and beat on high until firm peaks form.

You will need an icing bag or Ziploc baggie for this. A number two Wilson tip works well, or snip off the corner of the Ziploc baggie.
Place the icing into the pipping bag/Ziploc baggie.
Ice a line around the perimeter of the triangle. 

Trace a diamond pattern along the widest third of the cookie.

On the third above, draw vertical lines.

Place a penny size dot of royal icing on the tip center of the round cookie. This will adhere the two cookie together. 

Place the red cookie on the tip of the triangle cookie.