Biscuit necklaces

Serves:

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  cups plain flour
• Icing
• 2 cups icing sugar
• food colouring
• sprinkles, cachous or smarties to decorate
• Ribbon, cut to 40-50cm lengths

Method

Cream the butter and sugar together with a spoon in a bowl or using an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line three baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Divide dough into three pieces. Roll each piece of dough on a floured surface to 5mm thick. Use your favourite cutters to cut out hearts, stars, circles etc. Place biscuits on baking trays and use a wooden skewer or toothpick to make a 5mm diameter hole in each biscuit. Cook for 10-15 minutes until golden. Cool biscuits on trays.

To prepare icing, mix icing sugar with enough water to make a spreadable paste and mix in your chosen colour. Or divide icing into bowls and use 2-3 different colours. Decorate with sprinkles, cachous or smarties. Leave for 30 minutes until the icing is set. Thread ribbon through the hole in the biscuit and tie off to make a necklace. Will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Notes:

• My kids loved every bit of making these biscuits! Wonderful to see their imaginations at work for some very serious decorating.
• If it is a hot day, only work with one piece of dough at a time and keep the rest in the fridge until you are ready to roll! Warm dough loses its shape and is hard to manoeuvre.
• Dont panic if the holes close over during baking wait until the biscuits are cold and then use a toothpick to remake the hole.
• For a kids party, make the biscuits in advance and then make decorating the biscuits one of the party activities. A sure hit.

Serving Suggestions

Note