Viennese Biscuits (cookies)

These are delicious melt in the mouth biscuits (cookies).  You could sandwich two together with buttercream and jam if you were feeling particularly energetic.

Viennese Biscuits

250g (9oz) butter, softened
100g (3 1/2 oz) icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g (9oz) plain (all purpose) flour
30g (1oz) cornflour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon milk

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Pop the butter into a mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes until it is soft, light and pale - the butter needs to be really soft.

Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat for a further 3 minutes until smooth and soft.

Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into the bowl with the butter mixture and mix, add the milk and mix again to combine.

Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe 5cm rosette shaped spirals onto the baking sheets (you should get 20 biscuits from this mixture).  Allow a little space for each one to spread slightly.

Chill the biscuits for 20 minutes in the fridge while you pre-heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3.

Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the biscuits are pale golden at the edges.

Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Magical Properties:
Butter- peace, spirituality, faerie
Sugar- love, protection
Vanilla- love, spirituality, sex magic, passion, creativity
Flour- prosperity, rebirth, abundance, wishes
Cornflour - abundance, luck, prosperity, fertility
Baking powder - energy, magic
Salt - cleansing, purification, protection
Milk - feminine power, goddess energy, moon magic, offerings, love, spirituality, faerie