Halloween Cookies - Recipe and Spider Web Icing Tutorial

Directions

1. In a bowl, beat together the butter and caster sugar until creamy.
2. Combine the plain flour, cornflour, mixed spice, and cinnamon, then sift these dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
3. Mix everything until a dough forms, then roll it into a thick log shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes if you're in a hurry).
4. Cut the log into 16 even pieces. Press and shape each piece into a circle roughly 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter.
5. Bake at 170°C (325°F, Gas Mark 3) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
6. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
7. Prepare a white glacé icing by combining icing sugar with a small amount of milk or water. The icing should be thick enough to spread without being overly runny.
8. Create a smaller batch of black icing by mixing black food coloring with icing sugar and a little water. Transfer this to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (alternatively, use a greaseproof paper cone or snip the corner off a small food bag).
9. Work on one cookie at a time because the spider web pattern needs to be drawn before the white icing sets.
10. Spread a layer of white icing over the cookie, smoothing it out to the edges.
11. Using the piping bag, pipe four concentric black circles that decrease in size as they approach the center.
12. Take a cocktail stick and drag it from the center outward through the icing, repeating to create a web effect. Aim for 7 or 8 spokes for the best appearance.
13. Allow the decorated cookies to dry completely before serving.