CHRISTMAS COOKIE TREE DECORATIONS RECIPES

Steps:

• Put the egg whites into a very large (they’ll need lots of space to expand into), spotlessly clean bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until foamy. Whisk in one quarter of the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds between each addition. It’s important that the sugar has been dissolved before adding more (the mixture should feel smooth when rubbed between your thumb and forefinger). Increase the speed of the mixer and continue to add the rest of the sugar in the same way (add the sugar 2 tbsp at a time once you get halfway). By the end the meringue should stand in stiff, glossy peaks when you lift out the beaters.
• Heat the oven to 70°C/50°C fan/ gas – as low as your oven will go. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with baking paper. Mark the underside of each sheet with 9cm circles (trace around a 9cm cookie cutter), spacing them slightly apart.
• Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 10mm plain nozzle and pipe 9 small blobs evenly around the inside edge of each circle. Pipe another series of blobs on top of but between the peaks of the first blobs, joining them up to make a wreath shape. Top with your choice of decoration.
• Dry the meringues in the oven for 8 hours or overnight, then turn off the oven and leave them to cool inside. Carefully peel the wreaths off the paper and tie lengths of ribbon to each one. Store in an airtight box until needed.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Put about 18 foil paper cases into 2 muffin or fairy cake tins. Put the butter into a bowl. Add the sugar and orange zest, and beat well using a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. You can use an electric whisk instead of a wooden spoon. This is called creaming.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk well. Gradually add them to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour over the mixture and carefully fold in with a metal spoon. The mixture should be soft enough to drop easily from the spoon – this is called dropping consistency. If it isn’t, stir in the milk to soften it slightly.
• Fill the paper cases three-quarters full with the mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden. Ask an adult to remove the tins from the oven and transfer the cakes to a wire rack. Put the icing sugar into a bowl, add a little hot water to mix to a thick pouring consistency. Spoon the icing onto the cakes and decorate with silver balls, candles and fondant icing. Leave to set. Store in an airtight container.