Party Cookie Recipes - Christmas Rings Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups/200 g all purpose/plain flour

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup/125 g butter, softened

• 6 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, separated

• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest

• 3 green candied cherries and 3 red candied cherries, finely chopped, to decorate

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Butter two cookie sheets. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl.

2. Beat the butter and 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy.

3. Add the egg yolk, beating until just blended. Mix in the dry ingredients and orange zest.

4. Form tablespoons of the dough into 6-inch (15-cm) ropes. Shape into circles with slightly overlapping ends and place 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the sheets.

5. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Decorate with the cherries.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to racks and let cool.