Catherine Celebrates Easter will air on RTÉ ONE on Friday 2nd April at 8.30pm.
Ingredients
Makes 30 approx. depending on the size of the cutters
For the biscuits
- 220g plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 140g chilled butter, diced
- 60g caster sugar
- ½ tsp lemon extract (or zest of 1 lemon)
- 1 egg yolk, lightly whisked with a fork
- 40ml cold water
For the icing
- 350g icing sugar
- 2 egg whites, whisked lightly
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Yellow, green, pink colour paste or any pale colour you would like to use.
Equipment
- You will need Easter cookie cutter/s
- 4 disposable piping bags or 4 fabric bags fitted with fine nozzles
Method
- To prepare the biscuits, place the plain flour and cornflour into a bowl, add the diced butter and blend with your fingertips until fine breadcrumb is reached.
- Add the sugar and lemon extract. Add the water to the egg yolk, mix lightly and then add to the flour mix. Then mix well to form a firm dough.
- Place on a floured surface and knead it together well. Wrap up in parchment and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Roll the biscuit dough out to 3mm on a floured surface. Stamp out the biscuit shapes and place on the lined baking trays. Bake for 12-15 minutes but check them at 12 minutes. As all ovens vary slightly.
- Leave on the trays for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.
- The biscuits must be completely cooled before icing them.
- To prepare the icing, place the icing sugar into a large bowl. Add ¾ of the egg white and whisk well and pour in the lemon juice. The icing should be a thick, smooth and glossy paste. Add more egg white if needed.
- Divide between into 3 additional bowls for the colour and keep 4 tbsp of white royal icing for the dots.
- Colour each bowl of icing and cover so it does not dry out.
- Spoon coloured icing and the plain white icing into each piping bag and using scissors make a very fine snip at the tip. Pipe around the edge of the biscuits and then pipe in the centre of the biscuits with icing. (use a skewer or the tip of the piping bag to move the icing lightly into place). Leave to dry. This will take 2 hours depending on the size.
- When dry, select your preferred colours and decorate the biscuits. Leave to dry completely then enjoy.
