The Free-Range Butter Company

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) plain flour
• 100g (4oz) icing sugar
• 100g (4oz) cornflour
• 225g (8oz) ANCHOR Butter, softened
• Pre-bought red fondant icing – for hat
• Mini marshmallows
• Tube black icing – for eyes
• Glace cherry – for nose
• Tube white icing – for beard
• Ribbon for hanging

Method

1. Sieve together the plain flour, icing sugar and cornflour. Using a food processor add the sieved flour and softened ANCHOR Butter (cut into cubes). Whiz together until the mixture starts to ‘clog’ together. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead together.
2. To make the Santas: Take a small spoonful of the mixture and roll into a ball – flatten to create a round-shaped face. Take a further spoonful of mixture and shape into a flat triangle – this will be Santa’s hat!
3. Place the triangle slightly overlapping the circle and place on a baking sheet – using a skewer make a small hole in his hat so that he can hang.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 3 170C / 325F for about 15–20 minutes (this may vary depending on the thickness) until the Santas are pale but just changing colour around the edges. Take off the tray carefully and allow to cool before decorating.
5. Decorating the Santas: Take a small piece of icing for the hat and mould into a triangle shape to cover the shortbread hat – cut a mini marshmallow in half and place ‘sticky’ side down to the edge of the hat
6. Use marshmallows for eyes, half a cherry for nose (stick down with a little white icing) – and pipe a beard with white icing.
7. Allow to dry thoroughly before threading with ribbon and hanging on the Christmas tree – alternatively wrap in cellophane and give them to friends and family as handmade pressies for Christmas…

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