Slice and bake christmas cookies

I love these cookies as you don’t have to roll out the dough with a rolling pin and you can keep the dough in the fridge for a week. So you just slice and bake the cookies when you need them. Freshly baked biscuits on tap!

(Recipe from Delicious magazine)

You will need:

Equipment:

• Zester (if using fresh orange)

• Measuring spoons

• Weighing scales

• Large bowl

• Large baking tray

• Baking paper

• Cling film

• Electric mixer

• Knife

• Scissors

Ingredients:

• 250g butter, softened

• Optional: Finely grated zest of one orange (or 1 teaspoon orange essence)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• 250g plain flour

• 80g icing sugar, plus extra to dust

• 80g cornflour

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (this sounds a lot but I think it works)

• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Begin:

1. Line your baking tray with baking paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, orange zest/ essence (if using) and vanilla in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy.

3. Add the flour, icing sugar, cornflour and spices and mix briefly until combined.

4. Cut out a large sheet of cling film and put the dough on top.

5. Shape the dough into a 5cm wide cylinder (you can do this by rolling the dough by hand).

6. Wrap up the dough in the cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (I leave my dough in the fridge overnight and it is OK).

7. Heat the oven to 190C/ 170C fan/ gas 5.

8. Take the cling film off and slice the roll into 1cm thick discs.

9. Put the biscuits onto the baking tray, spaced about 2 cm apart.

10. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden.

11. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar (I use a tea strainer for dusting.)

PS These also make nice presents!