• 100 g butter
• ½ c sugar
• 1 c flour
• 1 well beaten egg
• Pinch of salt
• 60 g cornflour
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 160 C. Cream the butter and sugar and then add in the egg and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on an oven tray. Press with a fork and then bake for about 15 mins. When cool put together with peppermint icing.

P.S. Don’t forget about our “Handstitcher’s Retreat” at Lake Rotoiti in April next year. More details on the class page of the website.

Happy stitching,

Rachel

• 200 g chilled butter
• 2 c flour
• 120 g sour cream
• 1 bunch of rhubarb
• 500 g strawberries
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• ¾ c caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of a lemon
• 1 tsp good quality vanilla
• 1 egg yolk
• 50 g slivered almonds
• Icing sugar to dust

Place the butter and flour in the food processor with a pinch of salt and pulse to combine. Add the sour cream and pulse until the mixture comes together to form a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Meanwhile chop the rhubarb into 4 cm pieces and combine with the strawberries, sugar, custard powder, vanilla and lemon zest. Set aside.

Roll out the pastry on a large piece of baking paper to form a 35 cm circle. Transfer this to the baking tray. Place the fruit mixture in the centre of the dough leaving a 6 cm border. Fold over the edges of the dough to form a 3 cm crust around the fruit.

Brush the crust with the beaten egg yolk and then scatter with the almonds. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden.