Instructions

1. Method
2. Ignore package instructions on the Vanilla Cake box. Use the ingredients and method below. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
3. Toss Cake Mix with cinnamon and coconut in a mixing bowl. Rub butter into this dry mixture with your fingertips or cut it in with a pastry cutter until you have a coarse breadcrumb texture.
4. Add milk in two lots and mix through with a knife. The mixture will form big lumps. To help it stick together you will have to knead it lightly by hand. Sometimes it may be necessary to add an extra tablespoon of milk.
5. Roll dough into a thick (± 5 cm in diameter) sausage shape and wrap in baking paper. Refrigerate to firm for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Adjust the oven rack one slot above the middle shelf. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut dough roll into ½ cm thick slices. Pack out on baking paper lined baking trays. Space out well as they spread. Bake, one tray at a time, for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Leave to cool on the paper (they’ll be quite soft when they come out of the oven). When cold, store between layers of the used baking paper in an airtight container until ready to ice.
7. Icing
8. Mix according to package instructions. Retain icing bag for piping.
9. Trace or photocopy the Father Christmas faces onto rice paper. Click here for the template.
10. Cut out the shape of the face leaving a small margin all round.
11. Stick the rice paper onto the cookies with a blob of icing.
12. You can use the orange icing nozzle or half fill the icing bag and cut a tiny hole at the base. Pipe in the beard, moustache, the furry rim and tassel of the hat.
13. Use the ready-made red icing tube to fill in the hat and the mouth. Add silver balls for eyes and Astros for nose and hat.