Easter Lemon Chick Cookies

Method:

For the cookies

1. You will need a 2 cutters - a chick cutter and a small blossom cutter. These are widely available in high street cookery shops + online
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
3. To make the cookies, in a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes. Add the beaten egg to the mixture along with the lemon zest and beat again.
4. Next add the plain flour and stir with a wooden spoon to begin with - you will need to go in with your hands at the end to knead the dough very briefly until the dough is smooth. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so at which point you can make the lemon curd.
5. Once the dough is chilled, roll it our until its around 5mm in thickness and use the chick cutter to cut out all your cookies before placing them carefully on the baking sheet. Next cut the little blossom and cut a little blossom shaped hole out the centre of HALF of the chicks.
6. Chill the cut cookies again in the fridge for around 20 minutes which will help them to keep their shape when baking.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are pale golden in colour. Allow to cool.
8. To finish take one of the whole chicks and spread a teaspoon of lemon curd on its middle. Top with one of the chicks with the blossom hold cut out so that you see the lemon curd through it. Repeat until all your chick biscuits are sandwiched together.

For the homemade lemon curd

1. In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the caster sugar, eggs and yolks and unsalted butter together for a couple of minutes. The mixture will look curdled but don't worry at this stage. Add the lemon juice.
2. Put this in a pan and heat gently until the mixture becomes smooth, then increase the heat and continue stirring for around 12-15 minutes until it has started to thicken slightly. Take the lemon curd off the heat and allow to cool before using. Store any left over curd in the fridge for a week.