Iced Vanilla Cookies

These biscuits are quite impressive little works of "art", the biscuit itself is sweet, chewy and delicious and the icing just adds that extra flare that appeals to the eye. I have to admit that icing these biscuits can become quite time consuming as it isa process, but if you are just doing a simple design such as coloured or white heart shaped biscuits or square biscuits then I would go for it, especially to impress your guests.

So, if you have some time on your hands as well as a steady hand then give these biscuits a bash!
Here's the recipe:

Vanilla Sugar Cookies (makes +/- 25 medium sized cookies)

Ingredients:

• 200g soft butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 400g plain flour + more for dusting
• 3ml vanilla powder/ seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Ingredients

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade
2. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until just becoming creamy in texture. DON'T overwork.
3. Beat in the egg until well combined.
4. Add the flour and mix on a low speed until a dough forms.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead it briefly
6. roll out to an even thickness.
7. Use cookie cutters to cut out your shapes and place on a baking tray (use a pallette knife to lift them) 
8. Bake for 6-10mins until golden brown
9. Cool on a cooling rack



Before baking



After Baking

Royal Icing:

Ingredients:

• Whites of 2 medium eggs
• 500g icing sugar
• squeeze of lemon juice

Method:

1. Lightly beat your egg whites
2. Place the sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer
3. add 3/4 of the lightly beaten egg whites and the lemon juice, start mixing on a low speed.
4. Once well combined, check the consistency. If the icing looks dry and crumbly on the sides add more egg white until the icing looks smooth but not wet.
5. Keep mixing on a low speed until it has reached soft peak consistency.
6. Put the icing in a small piping bag with a small round holed nozzle.
7. Pipe border lines on your biscuit.
8. Once you have piped all your border lines, add a little water to your icing to make it into a runny consistency.
9. Flood the inside of your borders and allow the icing to dry before decorating further.
10. Some edible glitter would make these delights look marvelous!

Voilla!