Easter cookies

Method

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder together and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, lemon juice and vanilla.

3. Combine the flour into the mixture with a wooden spoon. When the dough is coming together, take it out of the mixing bowl, knead lightly into a ball and wrap it in baking parchment. Leave it in the fridge for at least one hour to firm up.

4. Line two flat baking trays with parchment and preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.

5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it to about 3-4 mm in thickness. Cut out your shapes and place then onto the prepared baking trays.

6. Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes. They should be a very pale golden colour when you take them out of the oven. Once they have cooled enough to handle put them on a wire rack to cool completely.

7. To make the icing beat the icing sugar and egg white at a low setting on a mixer. Turn up the setting when combined and whisk until fairly stiff.

8. Dilute the icing with lemon juice, one drop at a time as needed, it should be the consistency of thick paint and should hold its shape when piped or brushed onto a cookie and pipe with ease through a small hole in the piping bag.
   
   NOTE: There is raw egg used in the recipe. If you would prefer to use a pasteurised powdered egg white, such as Meri-White, add 10g of powder and whisk it with 50mls of warm water until foamy. Fresh eggs are generally safe to use but if someone is infirm, pregnant or very young and will be eating the cookies then powder is a good alternative.