Vanilla Shortcake Biscuits

In a medium mixing bowl place the flour, sugar and butter and rub in with the finger tips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the vanilla extract to the egg yolk, give a stir then stir into the biscuit dough.  Bring the mixture to a ball then place between two sheets of plastic, roll out to about the thickness of a £1 coin then chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Peel away one sheet of the plastic then cut out biscuit shapes – I used a 5cm cutter.  Re-roll the trimmings.  Place the cut outs on a lightly greased baking sheet or one lined with baking parchment.  Pop the biscuit shapes back into the fridge until the oven comes to temperature.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C non-fan, Gas Mark 6, 400°F).  Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes until just starting to colour.

Remove from the oven and allow the biscuits to cool.

If you want to dip the biscuits in chocolate then melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each blast.  The chocolate doesn’t want to be too runny or too thick.  A temperature of 35°C (95°F) is just about right.  Allow to set on tin foil.

These biscuits will keep in a tin for at least a week.