Reindeer Biscuits

A treat that kids love to make!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 lb. or 125 gram butter, chilled, chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp lemon essence
• Extra flour, for kneading
• 1 cup icing
• Juice of 1 lemon, strained
• Blue food coloring

Directions:

Put flour, ground almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and lemon essence and process until mixture forms into a ball.

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Pat dough into a disc, put it into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two oven trays with baking paper. Roll out dough between two sheets of baking paper until 5 mm thick. Use a reindeer cutter to cut out shapes. Put shapes on prepared baking trays. Bake for 12 minutes or until cooked through. Leave on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Put icing in a small bowl and add enough lemon juice until the icing has the consistency of cream. Add a couple of drops of food coloring and stir to combine.

Put biscuits on a wire rack, spoon a couple of teaspoons of royal icing over each. Spread icing, using a toothpick at edges, until covered. Leave to set for 1 hour. Tie necks with ribbon, if desired.

By Jodi from Aurora, CO