SPOOKY CHOCOLATE SKELETON BISCUITS

These little skeleton biscuits are not only delicious, but bring your Halloween table to life… or death

PREP: 20 MINUTES COOLING: 30 MINUTES FOR THE DOUGH, PLUS 30-45 MINUTES FOR THE BISCUITS COOKING: 10-12 MINUTES PER BATCH

MAKES ABOUT 24, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR CUTTER INGREDIENTS: ● 250g butter, softened ● 140g icing sugar ● 2tsp vanilla extract ● 1 egg yolk ● 300g plain flour ● 50g cocoa powder ● 1 tube of ready made white writing icing

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT:

● Person and/or bone-shaped biscuit cutters

● Piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle (or just snip a very small hole at the end) Method: 1. Using a spoon or a mixer, beat together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and egg yolk in a bowl, creaming the mixture together until well combined. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a separate bowl, then add it to the butter mixture a little at a time, until it has all been added. The dough will look quite crumbly and dry. Press it together into a ball with your hands and wrap in cling film. Chill it in the fridge for around 30 minutes. 2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. 3. Cut two large pieces of baking paper and lay one on your work surface. Place half the dough on it, then lay the second piece of baking paper on top and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough between the two layers of paper to a thickness of about 5mm. 4. Peel back the top layer of baking paper. Take a person and/or a bone-shaped cookie cutter and cut out the biscuits, placing them on the lined baking tray as you go. If they stick to the paper underneath, use a metal spatula to ease them off. Re-roll the spare dough and use it to cut out more cookies. Bake in batches if you don’t have multiple baking trays. If you find that the dough is becoming too soft, pop it into the fridge for a few minutes before re-rolling. 5. Bake each batch for 10-12 mins, then remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for a few mins before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 6. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle, or snip the end off your icing bag or sandwich bag. When your cookies are cool, decorate them by drawing on little bones and skeletons with the icing.