James Tanner's Easter cookies
Makes 15Prep: 20 minutesCook: 10 minutes
Ingredients:150g unsalted butter, softened50g caster sugar50g soft brown sugar1 egg½ tsp vanilla extract200g plain flour1 tsp baking powder150g small smashed up easter egg chocolate pieces or broken up mini eggs20g chopped hazelnuts (optional)To decorate:100g white chocolate buttons or broken white chocolate easter egg
Method:1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line baking trays with greaseproof paper.2. Beat the butter, caster and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.3. Sift the flour and baking powder gradually to the sugar and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in the chocolate pieces or broken up mini eggs and chopped hazelnuts if using.4. Divide the mixture into small size balls and push down slightly at well-spaced intervals onto the prepared baking sheets. Leaving a gap between each ball as the cookies will spread. For Easter bunnies, see note below.5. Bake for around 10 minutes until golden. Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a wire rack to cool.6. Whilst the cookies are cooling, melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then using a small piping bag or spoon drizzle the chocolate across each cookie and leave to set.
For Easter bunnies:Prep: 1 hourCook: 8 minutesCustomise the cookie bunnies according to taste, be creative and have fun!
You will need:
Coloured icing pens (readily available in some supermarkets, cookware stores, cake decorating shops and online). James used black: eyes, glitter silver: whiskers, pale yellow and pink for ears and neck ribbons.
Pink, yellow and white mini marshmallows for noses and tails or use white chocolate melted as above and any small sweets and coloured glacé icing of your choice.
Method:1. Follow the same recipe as above, minus the chocolate, nuts and mini eggs in the dough. 2. Adding an extra 50g plain flour to the dough mixture to make a soft dough. Form into a ball and wrap in cling film, flattening slightly. Chill for about 30 minutes to firm up slightly.3. Lightly dust the work top and rolling pin with flour and roll out the cookie mixture to approximately 2cm in thickness. Cut out bunny rabbit shapes or any shapes of your choice. Re-rolling the trimmings. Place onto lined baking trays as above.4. Bake at 180C/gas 4 for 8 minutes only (the dough is thinner so will cook quicker) until pale golden. Leave on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.5. Decorate with the icing pens and marshmallows, creating eyes, whiskers, a mouth, ears, and a marshmallow nose and tail. Fill in any areas with melted white chocolate placed in a piping bag if liked. Leave to set.