Recipes from The Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits from The Australian Women's Weekly

Ingredients

125g butter

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

40g icing sugar mixture

150g plain flour

35g cornflour

2 tbsp raspberry jam, approximately

Vanilla cream:

1/4 tsp gelatine

1 tbsp water

55g caster sugar

1 tbsp milk

90g butter

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Icing:

160g icing sugar mixture

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp milk, approximately

1 tbsp cocoa

1 tsp milk, approximately, extra

Method

1. Beat butter, essence and sifted sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted flours, mix to a soft dough. Knead gently on lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut into 5cm rounds. Place rounds about 3cm apart on greased oven trays. Bake in moderate oven about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on trays.

2. Sandwich biscuits with jam and vanilla cream. Spread a little vanilla icing over half of each biscuit; leave to set. Cover remaining half of biscuit with chocolate icing; leave to set.

3. Vanilla cream: Combine gelatine, water, sugar and milk in small pan, whisk over heat until sugar is dissolved; cool. Beat butter and essence in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. With motor operating, gradually add milk mixture, beat until combined.

4. Icing: Sift icing sugar into small bowl, stir in essence and enough milk to make a stiff paste; divide into two heatproof bowls. Stir sifted cocoa and enough extra milk into one bowl to make a stiff paste. Stir both icings over hot water until spreadable.

Makes about 15.

Ingredients

300g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

220g caster sugar

125g butter, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp golden syrup

Method

1. Sift dry ingredients into medium bowl, stir in sugar, rub in butter. Stir in egg and golden syrup; mix well. Roll rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls; flatten slightly, place about 3cm apart on greased oven trays. Bake in moderately slow oven about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on trays.

Makes about 45.

Ingredients

250g packet milk arrowroot biscuits

125ml sweetened condensed milk

125g butter, chopped

1 tsp grated lemon rind

90g coconut

2 tbsp coconut, extra

Lemon icing:

280g icing sugar mixture

1 tsp soft butter

1 tbsp lemon juice, approximately

Method

1. Blend or process biscuits until finely crushed. Combine milk and butter in medium pan, stir over heat until butter is melted; stand until warm. Stir in biscuit crumbs, rind and coconut; mix well. Press mixture evenly over base of greased 19cm 29cm rectangular slice pan; refrigerate one hour. Spread slice with lemon icing, sprinkle with extra coconut.

2. Lemon icing: Sift icing sugar into small heatproof bowl, stir in butter and enough juice to make a stiff paste. Stir over hot water until spreadable.

Makes 16.

Ingredients

250g butter

55g icing sugar mixture

225g plain flour

75g cornflour

Lemon cream:

60g butter

1 tsp grated lemon rind

80g icing sugar mixture

3 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Beat butter and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted flours. Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with a large fluted tube. Pipe 3cm rosettes about 3cm apart on greased oven trays. Bake in moderate oven about 12 minutes or until firm. Cool on wire racks. Sandwich biscuits with lemon cream.

2. Lemon cream: Beat butter, rind and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, beat in juice.

Makes about 20.