Ingredients
Royal Icing (1 quantity)
Method
1.Process flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg, the water, wattle seeds and vanilla; process until dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead until smooth. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate 30 minutes.
2.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease two oven trays, line with baking paper.
3.Roll half the dough between sheets of baking paper until 3mm (¹/8-inch) thick. Using the 5cm cutter, lightly mark a round in the dough. Using the 4cm cutter, lightly mark a second round, overlapping it slightly with the first round. Using a small sharp knife, cut out a thong (flip flop) shape, following the outer lines of the two marked rounds. Using a drinking straw, make a small hole at the wider end of the thong. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling scraps to cut out 30 thongs. Place on trays 2cm (¾-inch) apart.
4.Bake biscuits, swapping trays halfway through baking time, for 15 minutes or until light golden. Cool on trays.
5.To make royal icing, sift icing sugar through a fine sieve. Lightly beat the egg white into a small bowl until mixture is just broken up (do not whip into peaks). Beat in the icing sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Using a wooden spoon mix in the lemon juice.tint blue. Spread icing over biscuits. Decorate with stars in a Southern Cross pattern, stand until almost set.
6.Trim sour straps into 6mm x 8cm (¼-inch x 3¼-inch) lengths. Cut each almost in half lengthways, stopping 5mm (¼-inch) from end. Thread the thicker end of the sour strap into biscuit holes, place split end of strap on either side of the thong; tuck ends underneath the biscuit and secure with a little royal icing; stand until set.
Colour the icing pink or green for another occasion, and decorate with sprinkles. You need a 5cm (2-inch) and a 4cm (1½-inch) round cutter; and a plastic drinking straw.
Note
