Baking Italian Cookies

We first made these cookies for our family on our engagement and they were a huge hit, especially with my bappou (grandad). Whenever there is now a family gathering these are specifically requested.

They are easy to make, minimal ingredients needed and fun to decorate.

Ingredients for the cookies:

8oz butter, room temperature

4.5oz sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2tsp vanilla extract

10oz flour 

Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until blended.

Slowly add the flour and mix on a low speed.

Pipe dough into rosettes using a star tube nozzle #7 onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper

I usually also do some in a straight line, roughly 2 inches long.

Bake at 200 degrees C for 8-10 minutes.

Now the fun part, decorating the cookies.

I usually have a bowl of melted white and milk chocolate, a bowl of crushed hazlenutes & pistachio and  shredded coconut. Make sure you do not blitz the nuts as this will make them to dusty.

Now simply dip a biscuit into one of the chocolates and then your choice or choices of toppings.