Love bug biscuits recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
2. Whisk the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl, until soft and light. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Sift in the flour and whisk until all combined. Bring together into a ball with your hands.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ½ cm thick. Stamp out 30 heart shapes with a 7cm heart-shaped cookie cutter and place on the baking trays. Chill for 15 mins in the fridge.
4. Remove from the fridge and cook for 8-10 mins, until just turning golden at the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, roll out the red ready-to-roll icing on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Roll to ½ cm thick and stamp out 30 heart shapes with a 6cm heart-shaped cutter.
6. Brush a little of the icing onto the centre of the cookies and top with a red fondant heart. Gently press to secure in place. With the black pen from the writing icing pack, draw the spine, spots and head onto the love bugs. Finish by giving the bug eyes with the white pen. Leave to set.

• Storing instructions: Plain biscuits, fully cooled, will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Iced biscuits should be eaten on the same day. Best stored in an airtight container, such as a tupperware box or cake tin.

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