Categories: January

Ingredients

• 125g icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 250g salted butter
• 375g plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 quantity royal icing

Directions

1. Put the icing sugar, vanilla, egg yolk and butter in a bowl and mix quickly together with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Add the flour and mix to a firm dough, working quickly. Shape the dough into a flat slab, wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

2. eheat the oven to 180˚C/fan 160˚C/gas 4.

3. Briefly knead the chilled dough to soften. Roll out on a floured surface to 4mm thick. Use star-shaped cutters to stamp out the stars.

4. Lay the stars well apart on baking sheets lined with baking parchment. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 12-15 minutes until just golden. Leave on a wire rack to cool.

5. Make up the royal icing , then pipe, swirl, dot and outline different-size patterns on the stars. Press silver balls into the icing while still soft, then leave to dry for 1 hour.

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