Decorated Christmas Cookies

Name: Decorated Christmas Cookies
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter; 0.5 cup caster sugar; 1.75 cups all-purpose flour; 0.75 cup Almond flour; 0.5 cup Quince jam (jelly); 1.25 cups powdered sugar; 1 Tbsp hot water; caster sugar; 3 Tbsps Apricot Jam (jelly); red, sparking Sugar crystal; 2 cups powdered sugar (see note); water; 0.5 cup unsalted butter; 0.5 cup caster sugar; 1 egg (beaten); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2.5 cups all-purpose flour

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Difficulty:

moderate

Difficulty

Preparation:

1 hr 45 min.

Preparation

ready in 2 h. 45 min.

Ready in

Ingredients

for

For the star cookies: 1 cup unsalted butter; ½ cup caster sugar; 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup Almond flour; ½ cup Quince jam (jelly)

To decorate: 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar; 1 Tbsp hot water; caster sugar; 3 Tbsps Apricot Jam (jelly); red, sparking Sugar crystal; 2 cups powdered sugar (see note); water

For the glove biscuits: ½ cup unsalted butter; ½ cup caster sugar; 1 egg (beaten); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

How healthy are the main ingredients?

egg

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Product recommendation

If you can't obtain royal icing sugar use the following: 450 g/ 4 1/2 cups icing (confectioners') sugar 5 tbsp meringue powder 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 3 tbsp water Mix together all the ingredients and beat well. Add more water until smooth and thick. Continue to beat until stiff.

Preparation steps

For the star cookies: beat the butter in a mixing bowl until soft. Add the sugar, flour, and ground almonds and mix with your hands to form a dough.

Knead the dough lightly until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4" thick. Cut into star shapes using a 2 1/2 "star-shaped cookie cutter and place half the stars on a baking tray.

Using a 1" star-shaped cutter, cut out the middle of each of the remaining biscuit shapes. Place these onto a baking tray.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on the baking trays for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Spread a teaspoon of jam onto the centre of the whole biscuits, then place the biscuits with the cut-outs on top and press together.

To decorate: sift the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in just enough water to make a smooth coating icing.

Spread the icing around the edges of the stars and sprinkle with sugar before the icing sets.

10.

For the glove biscuits: heat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

11.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour and mix to a dough.

12.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/2". Using a glove-shaped card template or cookie cutter, cut cookies out of the dough and place on the baking tray.

13.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until pale golden brown. Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

14.

To decorate: brush the biscuits with the warmed jam, leaving the base plain. Sprinkle with red sparkling sugar crystals to completely cover the jam.

15.

Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Make up the icing according to the packet instructions or see the note. Put the icing into a piping bag and pipe snowflake shapes onto the tray. Pipe vertical lines on the base of the biscuits. Leave to set, then carefully place the snowflakes on the biscuits.