GETTING READY

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder and mix well.

2. Sieve this flour mixture and keep aside.

3. In a large glass bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and lemon peel. Using a electric beater, beat till mixture turns fluffy and light.

4. Add flour, little by little, and gently fold till all the flour has gone into the mixture.

5. Using a rubber spatula, shape the prepared mixture into a ball of dough and cover well with foil or wax paper.

6. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.

MAKING

7. In a medium sized bowl, combine walnuts, lemon juice and mincemeat. Mix well and keep aside.

8. Grease baking trays using butter.

9. In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and water and mix well to prepare egg wash. Keep aside.

10. Preheat oven to 187.5C (375F).

11. Remove refrigerated dough and divide into 4 equal parts.

12. Keeping aside one portion of dough, refrigerate rest remaining 3 till required to be rolled out.

13. Dust working surface with flour, place the dough and roll 1/8 inch thick.

14. Using 2 ½ inch size cookie cutters, cut various shapes like heart shape, round shape, scallop shape, diamond shape etc.

15. Carefully place on greased baking trays, keeping them at 1 inch distance from each other. You may use a wooden spatula to transfer them from the working surface to the trays.

16. Over each cookie, place 1 teaspoon of mincemeat mixture and cover with other cookie.

17. Dust a fork with flour and use to seal edges of cookies.

18. Using a pastry brush, apply egg wash on each cookie top.

19. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top and bake for 12 minutes or till light brown in colour.

20. Once baked, keep aside to cool.

SERVING

21. Serve plain, frosted or with a glass of warm milk. They can also be served chilled.

TIPS

You can place them in zip lock bags and deep freeze. When you want to serve, remove them from zip lock bags and allow to stand for an hour at room temperature before serving.