Sugar-dusted Wedding Cookies

I found this recipe on the BBC Good Food website, which is one of my firm favourites for practical advice and inspiration.  This recipe makes about 60 cookies, so I baked 40 & stuck the other roll of dough into the freezer for later.  These were great because they're relatively plain and therefore suitable to given to kids with relative abandon...  Our friend's little boy Reece though these were just gorgeous altogether and kept tormenting his Mum for "just one more, please".

Sugar-Dusted Wedding Cookies

250g Butter, softened
140g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs, separated
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
100g Ground Rice
300g Plain Flour
140g Demerara Sugar

In a large bowl or food processor, mix the butter, caster sugar, egg yolks and vanilla together until creamy.

Stir in the ground rice and flour and mix well to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Roughly divide the mixture into 3 and lay out 3 large sheets of baking paper - on each one, roll out 1/3 of the dough into a long, thin sausage shape.  Use the paper to help you shape the dough.

Now lightly beat 1/2 of the egg white (save the rest for meringues) and brush over the surface of the dough using a pastry brush.  Now scatter over the demerara sugar and roll the dough to make sure it's completely sugar-coated.

Wrap up the dough in the paper and chill for at least 30 mins until firm.  At this stage, the dough will freeze really well for up to 2 months if you wrap it tightly in clingfilm.

Preheat your oven to 200c/Gas Mark 6 and line two baking sheets with baking paper.

Using a sharp knife, slice each roll of dough into 20 small biscuits & place on the trays, allowing an inch between each for expansion.  Bake for 8-12 minutes until pale gold in colour.

Cool on the trays until firm.