Someone need cheering up? Bringing together biscuits, jam, icing and lollies, these bikkies are sure to put a smile on their dial.

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 14 biscuits

For the biscuits:
125g softened butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp cocoa
1 egg
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling and topping:
1/3 cup jam (raspberry or plum are good here)
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp glucose syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 tsp hot water
lollies of your choice to make the faces

HOW TO
1. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy (you can also do this in a food processor, or in a freestanding mixer). Add the cocoa and egg, and beat again until all combined.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt over the top, and mix together until it forms a firm dough. Flatten the dough into a disc shape, then cover with cling wrap and leave in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

3. While you’re waiting, heat the oven to 180C, and line two trays with baking paper.

4. Remove the dough from the fridge and put it between two large pieces of baking paper or plastic wrap. Roll out until it’s about 3mm thick (the baking paper stops the dough from sticking to the rolling
pin or the bench top), then cut into rounds with a 7cm cookie cutter. You should get about 28 rounds.

5. Transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared trays, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until they’re light golden brown and dry to touch. Remove from the trays and leave on a rack to cool completely.

6. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the vanilla, glucose syrup and one teaspoon of hot water, then mix well, adding a tiny drop more water to make a thick, shiny mixture.

7. To assemble the biscuits, spread a little jam on the underside of half the batch, then top with the remaining pieces. Dollop some icing on top of each double-decker biscuit, then arrange the lollies
to make smiley faces (or sad faces, or cranky faces – it’s up to you!).

8. Set aside until the icing has set, then store in an airtight container.

This recipe comes straight from our special one-off publication, frankie food. Pick up a copy via our online store, or through one of our wonderful stockists.