Christmas Cookies

This is Donna Hay's basic vanilla butter biscuit recipe that I now use all the time as it produces really delicate snap cookies. They're gorgeous plain, coated in chocolate, sandwiched with jam or dusted with icing sugar. I've made them numerous times over the last few weeks for Xmas parties and I've even boxed some up as little gifts.

250g butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 cup plain flour
1 cup dark chocolate melts, for decorating

Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat the butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat well to combine. Add the flour and beat until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 sections, roll out each section between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 5mm think. Use cookie cutters to cut out the dough. Place onto a lined baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden. Cool on a wire rack. To decorate, melt the chocolate and pipe onto the cookies.