Brilliant Biscuit Baking (especially good for kids!)

Having spent a good proportion of my summer helping to look after a number of my younger cousins I have definitely come to the conclusion that baking is a life saver. In my experience, kids of all ages like to be hands on and in control of whatever it is they're doing. Baking is therefore a great way to entertain children as well as harness their creative talents.

These biscuits are incredible simple to make and all it takes is a selection of sweets and coloured icing pens to turn anyone into an artist! The biscuits don't take very long to cook so you won't impatient and the decorating can begin almost as soon as they come out of the oven.

Brilliant Biscuit Baking
Makes 20-30 biscuits

250g softened butter
140g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
Biscuit cutters
Icing pens
Variety of sweets and sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a couple of baking trays with butter.

Mix the butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the egg yolk and the vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine.

Sift over the plain flour and stir until the mixture is well combined - you might need to get your hands in at the end to press the dough together. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.

Roll the dough out to about a cm thick and cut into shapes. Place on the greased trays and cook for 12-15 minutes.


Allow to cool briefly on a wire rack then decorate to your heart's content!