Easter cookies

 Apart from adapting those Christmas Gingerbread men into rabbits and Bilbies there are many cookie recipes but these are some of my favourites 

(mainly English as they have been handed down in the family)

 Apricot Squares

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (c) shortening
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 ea Egg, well beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 1/2 ts baking powder
• 1/2 ts salt
• 1/2 ts cinnamon
• 1 pn cloves
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 3/4 c apricot preserves

Method:

• Take about 1/2 cup shortening and cream it.
• Add on sugar to it and continue creaming till it becomes fluffy.
• Add eggs and lemon juice and beat them well.
• Take a bowl and put all the dry ingredients in it for sifting with milk.
• Take a well-greased pan and spread the batter prepared but only half the quantity.
• Add on apricot preserves to it for covering purpose.
• Put the remaining half batter into it.
• Bake the batter for nearly half an hour at a temperature of 180 degrees.
• When the color of the mixture has turned golden, take it out from the oven for cooling it. Once the batter has cooled down, cut them in the shape of squares.

Meringue Kisses

This cookie recipe is low fat and Yummy!

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg whites; at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon Cream of tartar
• Pinch Salt
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
• 115g Semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

• The first step begins with the preheating of oven to a temperature of 190 ° C.
•  Line the baking tray in the oven.
• Take a medium sized bowl and at a medium speed, beat the egg whites in it till they become frothy.
• Add on cream of tartar and salt to it.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar each time, till the mixture gets stiff.
• Add on 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract and fold it in the semisweet chocolate chips.
• Heap the batter in a spoon and drop it on the baking sheet.
• Place it in the oven and turn the oven off but cookies are not to be taken out before 5 hours.
• Optional: Sandwich 2 meringues together with 1/2 teaspoon lemon butter or the filling of choose.  Serve dusted with icing sugar.

So grab an Easter book to read to a child, a coffee for yourself or a walk in the Autumn air while the work is done for you

 Happy Easter everyone 'tis the season to eat chocolate!

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