Christmas Biscuits

You can make them any shape you like, but trees and stars  seem to be the most popular.

Ingredients

• 140g icing sugar sieved
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 250g butter cut into small cubes
• 375g plain flour sieved

To decorate

• 200g icing sugar sieved
• edible food colouring optional
• edible gold and silver balls
• small lengths of ribbon

Method

1. Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined).
2. Add the flour and mix to a firm dough.
3. Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap them. Chill for 20-30 mins.
4.  Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins.
6. Cut out Christmassy shapes (use a cutter if you like) and place on the baking sheets.
7. Using the tip of a skewer, cut a small hole in the top of each cookie.
8.  Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden.
9. Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool.
10. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing.
11. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like.
12. Spread it over the cooled biscuits, decorate with edible balls and thread with ribbon when dry.