Beat butter, rind and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in sifted flours and spice, and ground hazelnuts, in two batches.

Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease oven trays; line with baking paper.

Using 3cm, 5cm and 7cm star-shaped cutters, cut 24 of each size star from dough. Place small stars, about 1cm apart, on an oven tray; place remaining stars, about 2cm apart, on oven trays.

Bake small stars about 10 minutes. Bake larger stars about 15 minutes. Stand 5 minutes; cool on wire racks.

Meanwhile, make brandy butter cream: beat butter, rind, sifted icing sugar and brandy in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Sandwich two of each size cookie with butter cream. Assemble trees by joining three different size stars together with butter cream.

Secure cachous to stars with a tiny dot of butter cream. Dust trees with extra sifted icing sugar.