Decorated Egg Cookies

For the biscuits: put the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, syrup, vanilla and egg yolks and mix to a dough. Form into a ball and wrap in cling film. Chill for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) 350°F gas 4. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 10-12 oval shapes and place on the baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Leave on the baking trays for 2 minutes to firm up then remove to a wire rack to cool.

To decorate: divide the sugarpaste into 3. Reserve a small piece. Knead a few drops of blue colouring into 1/3; a few drops of yellow colouring into another 1/3 and green colouring into another 1/3.

Roll out the colured sugarpastes on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar and cut into ovals, the same size as the biscuits. Dampen the sugarpaste ovals with a little water and attach to the biscuits.