Vanilla Shortbread Christmas Tree Stack

Ingredients: (you will also need various sized star cookie cutters)

Shortbread:

Icing:

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (c), gas mark 4, 350 degrees (f).
Mix flour & sugar together in a bowl.
Add butter & rub together until a breadcrumb like texture is formed & add vanilla essence.
Knead into a dough.
Roll out the dough.
Using your various sized star shaped cookie cutters, cut out your stars ( making sure that you have multiples of each size star)
Place on a lined baking tray & bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
When baked, remove from the oven & allow to cool.
Add icing sugar to bowl & gradually add your cold water.
When your icing forms a paste you can add your green food colouring & mix well.
Starting with the larger star cookies, dip them into the icing mixture, allow any excess icing to run off & then place down on a flat chopping board.
Continue this process with all of the cookies (as you are stacking them twist them slightly so that the points of the stars are pointing different directions, this will allow the tree shape to form)
When your tree is fully stacked , throw on your sprinkles & a star topper.
Allow to dry.