Christmas Star Biscuits
Makes approx: 20
250g butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup rice flour (see note)
1/4 cup cocoa
100g clear boiled lollies or fruit drops, chopped
milk choc bits
1. Using electric mixer cream butter, vanilla and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift flours and cocoa together, add to butter mixture, mix well.
2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until mixture is well combined. Cut in half. Place each half between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to approx 8mm thickness. Refrigerate until firm (30 minutes at least).
3. Preheat oven to 150c.
4. Remove top sheet of paper. Cut out shapes using a 7cm cutter. Place onto a tray lined with non stick baking paper. Cut another shape out of the centre using a 3 1/2cm cutter. Reserve for baking.
5. Bake 8 minutes, remove from the oven and fill the centre with boiled sweets. Turn oven up to 180c and bake a further 8-10 minutes or until sweets have melted and biscuits are cooked. Allow to cool on trays.
6. Decorate reserved inside shapes with milk choc bits and bake at 180c for 6-8 minutes.
Note: Rice flour is also known as ground rice and is available at supermarkets or delis.
Tip: Use a sharp knife to chop boiled sweets or place in a plastic bag and break up with a rolling pin. We used clear boiled sweets and fruit drops, the milky boiled sweets will not melt nor give a clear coloured glass effect.