Biscuits

250gram unsalted butter, room temperature

� cup icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

� cup finely chopped walnuts  (can be made without)

2 cups plain flour, sifted

Icing sugar for coating.

Preheat oven to 175� C.

Line baking trays with baking paper, or grease lightly.  Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, this takes about 6 minutes.  Toss together nuts and flour stir into butter mixture combine well but don�t beat.  Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture on to prepared trays, bake about 1-20 minutes or until golden brown and tops are partly golden.  Rotate trays half way through cooking so biscuits cook evenly.  Have ready a large swallow bowl with a very thick layer of sifted icing sugar.  Allow biscuits to cool for one minute then transfer to bowl don�t crowd.  Turn carefully to coat, or sift more icing sugar over.  Transfer to cooling racks, cool completely.  Repeat with remaining biscuits.  Store in airtight tin, interleaving biscuits layers with grease proof paper. Store in cool, dry place.  Biscuits keep well for up to three weeks if stored in an airtight tin.  Makes about 60.

Wrapping idea.

Don�t package biscuits until you need them, otherwise they will soften.  Either put into cellophane bags and tie tightly with Christmas ribbon or line a balsa-wood craft boxes with cellophane, add biscuits and wrap tightly, then tie box with ribbon. Ad attach a tag, Try gluing a ribbon to the trim of the box lid for added effect.  Cellophane bags and wooden boxes can be purchased from craft shops, or preferably use boxes you have collected.  If you can�t purchase cellophane bags, make your own from sheets of cellophane, or try asking at a local sweet shop if they will sell you any.  The thin, brown Glad paper plus bags are a great alternative.