White Chocolate Christmas Tree

12:20 am on 19 December 2009

Time to prep 45 minutes, plus chilling time
Time to cook 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups standard plain flour
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 225g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 medium (size 6) free-range egg
  • 200g white chocolate, melted 
  • edible silver balls and icing sugar for decorating

Method

1. Put flour and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl with the butter. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter, then rub in with the fingertips until the mixture is like breadcrumbs. Lightly beat water and egg together and pour it into the bowl. Stir together to a dough, using your hand to gently knead it into a ball. Wrap in plastic food wrap and chill for 30 minutes, until firmish.

2. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out star shapes in four different sizes. Transfer star biscuits to trays lined with baking paper and chill until firm.

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C (regular bake) until lightly golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. To assemble the tree, put the biggest biscuits on the bottom, then the next size up, etc, finishing with the smallest ones on top, sticking them together with melted chocolate as you go. Decorate with blobs of melted white chocolate piped onto the tips of the biscuits. Decorate with silver balls and dust with icing sugar.

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