Royal cake maker Fiona Cairns turns her hand to deliciously cute cakes, cookies and chocolate eggs...
Spring flower iced biscuits
Cracking Easter treats: Spring flower iced biscuits
Makes 30-36
For the biscuits
220g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened
100g (3½oz) icing sugar
200g (7oz) plain flour, sifted, plus more to dust
100g (3½oz) ground almonds
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Flower cutters (5-6.5cm/2-2½in)
For the icing
400g (14oz) fondant icing sugar
5-6tbsp lemon juice
Food colour pastes (pink, yellow, green)
Tube of 100s and 1000s sprinkles
Fine ribbons (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and line 2-3 trays with baking parchment. Place the butter, icing sugar, flour, almonds and lemon zest in a food processor and whizz until combined. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20-30 minutes.
On a board lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough to 5mm (¼in) thick and cut out a selection of flower shapes. Make holes in the centres using a chopstick or skewer. Chill for 15-20 minutes then bake for 12-15 minutes. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, re-form the holes. Cool on the trays and then move to a wire rack.
Sift the fondant icing sugar into a bowl then gradually add the lemon juice until the mixture is pourable and will coat the back of a spoon. Divide between 2 or 3 small bowls and add a little food colour to each bowl – cover with clingfilm as the icing dries out very quickly.
Start by spreading one colour over a biscuit then drizzle with a contrasting colour and swirl or drag out into a pattern (as pictured) using a cocktail stick, or sprinkle with 100s and 1000s. Dry on a cooling rack. Thread with ribbon if desired.