Coffee & Walnut Cream Cookies (Biscuits)

These are more of a special occasion treat than an everyday cookie. Also, these are probably more for older tastes than for kids. (A big hit with adults at a recent engagement party.) Don't be scared that it looks like a lot of work - they really aren't that bad! You will need a 5.5cm round cookie cutter. Australian measurements used. Taken from Australian Women's Weekly: Cookies.

• Ready In: 1 hr 41 mins
• Yields: 18 cookies

Ingredients

• 250  g plain flour
• 125  g  cold butter, chopped
• 55  g caster sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 18  walnut halves

• butter cream

• 185  g unsalted butter, softened
• 120  g icing sugar
• 1  tablespoon  cocoa
• 1  tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1  tablespoon hot water
• 125  g walnuts, chopped finely

• coffee icing

• 160  g icing sugar
• 2  teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1  tablespoon hot water
• 1  teaspoon butter

Directions

1. Sift flour into a medium bowl. Using only fingertips, rub in butter. Mix should look like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, vanilla and egg.
2. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Divide dough into 2. Roll one half between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Repeat with 2nd half. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180 Deg C, 356 Deg F. Grease & line trays with baking paper.
4. Use the round cutter to cut out 36 cookies. Place on trays and bake for around 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Make butter cream.
5. When cool sandwich cookies together with walnut butter cream and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Make coffee icing.
6. Spread the top of each cookie with icing and top with a walnut half.
7. Butter Cream: Using an electric mixer and a small bowl, beat butter and sifted icing sugar until light and fluffy. Combine cocoa, coffee and water then beat into mix. Stir in walnuts.
8. Coffee Icing: Sift icing sugar into a small heatproof bowl. Combine coffee and water then stir into sugar. Add butter. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until icing is glossy and spreadable.