Christmas around the corner- Bouchées de Napolitaines

When I was little, I couldn't sit still when I knew Christmas was just a few days away. At home, it's a very special day. We'd not only celebrate Christmas but my birthday as well. Oh yes, I feel really lucky to be born on this beautiful day. I remember my brothers & I would be decorating the Christmas tree & they'd lift me up such that I could reach the top of the tree to put up my special 'shining star.' We were all excited since there'd be 2celebrations:)

How time flies, my shining star may be 15years old today, but it's still sitting elegantly on the tree & of course, I'm tall enough to stick it up myself:) Somehow, we've kinda 'lost' the Christmas spirit because you know how things tend to change when you grow up/older:) That's when I realised how Christmas would be empty without children around. We don't really bother to put up the Christmas tree but this year, I decided to keep up the tradition. After being a few years away from home, I sincerely missed waving Hello to my tree every morning. I know, my tree kinda lacks ornaments but it was quite fun dressing it up anyway;)

I tried to push us deeper into the Christmas spirit, after all, it's a very special day right?! Baking Bouchées de Napolitaines in shapes that would spell Christmas was a terrific idea, instead of the classic rounded ones. Napolitaines are soft buttery Mauritian cookies consisting of 2biscuits jammed together and covered with pink/ white icing. I decorated the biscuits by sprinkling finely shaved chocolate over the icing before it sets to create a stardust effect.

Christmas Tree NapolitainesJingle Bells Napolitaines

Stella for Star Napolitaines (What a vain pot I am:P)Buttery Butterfly Napolitaines

Ingredients

• 500g sieved flour
• 375g unsalted butter
• 1egg lightly beaten
• 2tbs milk
• lemon zest of 1lemon
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• strawberry jam stirred in warm water to loosen
• 2cups icing sugar dissolved in 2-3tbs hot water (or till you've obtained the right consistency, I like mine a thin paste)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350deg F. Rub the butter into the flour with your hands. Add the milk & knead, then the egg, vanilla extract & lemon zest & knead until it becomes a soft dough. Chill the dough for 15mins.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 50mm thick (you can chill half the dough while you're working. If the dough sticks too much on your hands, add more flour & see what works out best for you.)
3. Cut out shapes out of the dough & place on your silpat & put back in the refrigerator while you roll out the left over dough, repeat the process until all has been used up.
4. Bake for 8-10mins until biscuits turn golden yellow & place on cooling rack. Watch your baking closely.
5. When cooled, spread some jam over one biscuit & sandwich it up with another. Place your paired biscuits back on your rack (you can put an old newspaper underneath for the icing process).
6. Melt the icing sugar with the hot water to obtain a flowing consistency. Use a brush to coat the biscuits with the icing & sprinkle shaved chocolate quickly if desired. Et voila!

The Napolitaines are meant to be very soft so that they melt in your mouth the moment you sink your teeth into them. The icing sugar & jam contribute to the biscuits' sweetness so remember not to pour too much icing sugar or they'd be overly sweet.

The biscuits were offered as miniature Christmas gifts to my special ones & they were all delighted. If you're tired of the classic Christmas cookies or Sablés, try these wonderful Mauritian Napolitaines, you'll deceive no one else but Santa who'd wish he'd been here sooner to grab one;) Christmas is really around the corner, I can't wait ;)