< Christmas
< Christmas Presents and Decorations

Snowball Truffles
Hanging Santa
Pipe Cleaners, Colds and Christmas
Bath Bombs
The Fun of Christmas Decorations
Old-fashioned Crêpe Paper Chains
Secret Gilded Walnuts
Beaded Icicles
Feather Angels
Christmas Bunch of Baubles
Crackers and Pullers
All Presents and Correct
Shrinkie Key Rings
Funky Bookmarks
Christmas Pud Truffles
Herb Jelly
Crunchy Sugar Mice
Old-fashioned Peppermint Creams
Christmas Star Biscuits
Chocolate-dipped Orange Peel
Cherry Shortbread Mice
Candy Striped Pencils
Decorated Wax Candles
Honeycomb Rolled Candles
Christmas Wreath
Kissing Bough
Glass Tree Biscuits

Christmas Star Biscuits

Edie made these last year for her teacher – who rushed up to us later in M&S to tell us how much she and her family had enjoyed them. They taste deliciously buttery, and look stunning dusted with icing sugar and wrapped in cellophane.

Makes about five stacks of six biscuits

For the vanilla biscuits:

80g plain flour
30g golden caster sugar
60g butter, unsalted
½ egg yolk
¼ tsp good-quality vanilla extract


For the chocolate biscuits:
70g plain flour
10g cocoa powder
30g golden caster sugar
60g butter, unsalted
½ egg yolk


To finish:
Star cookie cutters in three sizes
A little melted chocolate
Icing sugar


To make the vanilla biscuits:
Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and diced butter. Rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the middle, add the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat together until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling-film and leave in the fridge for half an hour.

To make the chocolate biscuits:
Sieve the flour and cocoa together in a bowl, then add the sugar and diced butter. Rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the middle, add the egg yolk. Beat together until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling-film and leave in the fridge for half an hour.

Heat the oven to 190 degrees C/Gas Mark 5. Brush two baking trays with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
Roll out the doughs separately, and cut out equal numbers of stars in each size. Place on the baking trays and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vanilla biscuits are lightly browned. Loosen the biscuits at once, then leave to cool.

To make the stacks:
Melt a little chocolate in a pan to use as ‘glue’. Dab a little in the centre the biggest vanilla biscuit, stick a big chocolate one on top so the points of the star alternate, then continue with smaller stars until you have a stack. Dust with icing sugar and leave to set.
Place each stack on a piece of card covered with silver foil, wrap in a sheet of cellophane and tie with ribbon.

For other edible Christmas gifts, see Old-fashioned Peppermint Creams, Christmas Pud Truffles and Herb Jelly.