Pumpkin Shaped Cookies

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg, a little at a time.

Mix together the flour with the salt, baking powder, ginger and mixed spice and gently fold into the butter and sugar mixture.

Gently knead the mixture to a soft dough and roll it out to a thickness of about 1/2 cm between two large sheets of greaseproof paper. Carefully lift this onto a large baking sheet and chill for at least two hours.

Heat the oven to 200ºC (180º fan) 400ºF, gas 6. Cut four pumpkin shapes from the dough and carefully place on a greased baking sheet, leaving a little room for the biscuits to spread. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through then remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, mix about 175g of the icing sugar with orange food colouring and enough water to make a paste then set aside. Mix half the remaining sugar with yellow colouring and enough water to make a paste and put it in a piping bag fitting with a small nozzle. Repeat with the remaining sugar and the green colouring and put in a piping bag fitted with a flat nozzle.

Work the black food colouring into the fondant icing until evenly mixed and roll out as thinly as possible. Cut shapes for the 'eyes', 'nose' and 'mouth' and set aside.