Iced Easter biscuits

This is an easy biscuit dough that works for all sorts of biscuits, and freezes well too. I've provided two decorating methods – you can either split the dough and make both, or just pick your favourite.

MAKES 18 PREP 1 hr 15 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V ❄ dough only

300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

150g white caster sugar

150g slightly salted butter, chopped 1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 Weigh the four and sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fngertips until the mixture resembles wet sand, with no buttery lumps. Beat the egg with the vanilla, then add to the bowl. Mix briefy with a cutlery knife to combine, then use your hands to knead the dough together – try not to overwork the dough, or the biscuits will be tough. Shape into a disc, then wrap in clingflm and chill for at least 15 mins. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

2 Dust a work surface with four. Halve the dough, then roll one half out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use an egg-shaped cookie cutter (ours was 10cm long; you could also make a cardboard template to cut around) to stamp out as many cookies as you can, then transfer them to one of the baking sheets, leaving a little space between the biscuits. Repeat with the other half of the dough. If you want to make jammy-middle biscuits, use a small circular cutter to stamp holes in half the biscuits (where the yolk would be).

3 Bake for 12-15 mins, until the biscuits are pale gold. Cool on the sheets for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Once cool, decorate to your liking (see below, right). Will keep in an airtight container for up to fve days.

PER SERVING (18) 163 kcals • fat 7g • saturates 4g • carbs 21g • sugars 8g • ibre 1g • protein 2g • salt 0.2g