Let the kids bake and decorate their own party biscuits.

Makes: 30-40
Preparation time: 1 hour
Baking time: 15 minutes
Oven temperature: 180°C

• 125g (135ml) soft butter
• 105g (120ml) castor sugar
• 5ml vanilla essence
• 1 large egg
• 280g (510ml) cake flour
• 30g (50ml) cornflour
• 5ml baking powder
• 1 batch royal icing (see page 116)
• food colourings of your choice
• decorations of your choice

Royal icing

Makes: 1 batch

• 3 large egg whites
• 20ml lemon juice
• 865ml (450g) icing sugar, sifted
• 670-770ml (350-400g) icing sugar, sifted
• 10ml glycerine
• food colouring, if using

1 Stir the egg whites, lemon juice and 865ml (450g) sifted icing sugar together in a large bowl.

2 Gradually add in the remaining icing sugar and stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the glycerine and food colouring, if using. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill until needed.

Biscuits
1 Beat the butter and castor sugar until light, then beat in the vanilla essence and the egg.

2 Sift the cake flour, cornflour and baking powder together with a pinch of salt. Mix into the butter mixture to form a firm dough, then roll into a ball and wrap in clingwrap. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm on a lightly floured surface and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

3 Place on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for eight minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

4 Prepare the royal icing according to the instructions on page 116. Divide into three bowls and colour each one with different food colouring. Spoon the icing into plastic piping bags. Use the bags to pipe patterns and decorations onto the biscuits. Leave to harden and set. Pack into boxes or cellophane packets for the young chefs to take home after the party.