3D Christmas Tree

Christmas is coming closer each day which means I really need to hurry up with my Christmas baking! I love my Christmas tree, and we only just put it up a few days ago. What's a better way to celebrate than making an edible version?! I used a pack of star cookie cutters (ranging from big to small) and stacked them with buttercream.  Decorate whatever colour you want!









Ingredients
350g unsalted butter, soft
400g caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
800g plain flour, preferably Italian 00
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced).  Cream the butter and sugar until pale and moving towards moussiness, then beat in eggs and vanilla.  In another bowl, combine flour, powder and salt.  Add dry ingredients to butter and eggs, and mix gently but surely.  If you think mixture is too sticky to be rolled out, add more flour, but do so sparingly as this makes the dough tougher.  Halve the dough, form into fat discs, wrap each in clingwrap and rest in fridge for at least 1 hour.  Sprinkle some flour on board, place 1 disc of dough on board (leave other in fridge) and roll out to about 1/2cm thickness.  Cut star shapes (you will need 20 or so) and place them a little apart on baking trays.  Bake for 8-12 minutes, by which time they will be lightly golden around the edges.  Cool on rack and continue with the rest of the dough.  When they're all fully cooled, you can get on with the icing.  

Ingredients
250g unsalted butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar
+ green food colouring

Method
Beat butter until smooth.  Gradually add icing sugar until smooth. Add food colour and pipe onto stacked start cookies. Use a leaf tip.  I added edible glitter and edible baubles for my festive look.