Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 256g all-purpose flour  
• 115g icing sugar 
• ¾ teaspoon salt 
• 227g unsalted butter - cold and cut into small cubes

Method

1. Place flour, sugar and salt into a food processor and mix briefly to combine. Add the cold diced butter all at once and pulse dough until combined into a smooth ball. 
2. Remove from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour. 
3. Remove dough from the fridge 10 minutes before you’re ready to roll so it can soften slightly.
4. Flour your work surface and rolling pin thoroughly to ensure the dough will not stick to the counter. 
5. Roll the dough out to your desired thickness, usually around .5 cm is a good thickness for shortbread. 
6. Using your cookie cutter of choice punch out your cookies and transfer onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
8. Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes until just golden on the edges and still soft in the middle. Let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Pink Royal Icing Recipe 

• 2 large egg whites 
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice 
• 3 cups sifted icing sugar 
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 
• 120-180ml warm water (optional)

Method

1. Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix lightly for 30 seconds just until they are a little frothy.
2. Add the icing sugar, sift with a fine mesh strainer or tamis directly into the mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until all ingredients are combined. 
3. Adjust the consistency with the water as needed to loosen if needed or add more icing sugar to tighten back up. 
4. Add your food coloring of choice – if doing pink 2-3 drops will give you a soft pink finish!
5. Place icing into a piping bag to decorate your cookies.

Happy Valentines Day!