Easter cook and craft!

You will need:
One batch cookie mix (recipe makes 12)
Lollipop sticks
Bunny cookie pan (or make your own with tin snipped and shaped to size)
Sugar paste in pastel colours (below)
Candy beans
A selection of patterned ribbons

Here's how:
Cookie mix recipe (below)
225g flour
5ml baking powder
100g butter
175g caster sugar
5ml vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten

1. Rub butter into sifted flour and baking powder.
2. Add sugar then mix to a dough with vanilla and egg.
3. Roll out fairly thinly on a lightly floured surface.
4. Transfer to lightly greased cookie pan and fill with cookie mix to 5mm below top line.
5. Push a lolly stick into each cookie using the guides, and bake at 190C 5 for 10-12 mins or until risen and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
6. Once cool, make an iced face by adding rolled sugar paste (see below).
7. Use light coloured icing as glue to attach candy beans and draw on a mouth with a dark colour.
8. Add a ribbon bow to each lolly stick. 

Sugarpaste method:
1. Lightly grease work surface and roll the kneaded coloured sugar paste to a thickness of approximately 3-4mm.
2. Using the template, cut a bunny shape from the sugar paste, lift carefully, moisten the back with buttercream and place on the cookie. Repeat with other cookies in an assortment of colours.
3. Use a finger moistened with water to smooth and round the edges.

Hints and Tips
Ensure cookie mix is not too moist or cookies will stick to pan.
You will need:
One batch vanilla cookies* (recipe makes 25-30)
Easter egg or oval shaped cutter
Sugar paste icing in pastel colours
Tubes coloured icing
Rolling pin

Here's how:
Vanilla cookies recipe*
225g flour
5ml baking powder
100g butter
175g caster sugar
5ml vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten

1. To make the Vanilla cookies, rub butter into sifted flour and baking powder, add sugar then mix to a dough with vanilla and egg, roll out fairly thinly on a lightly floured surface, transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet allowing space for spreading, then bake until golden brown at 190c and cool on a wire rack before decorating.
2. To decorate, lightly grease work surface and roll the kneaded coloured sugar paste to a thickness of approximately 3-4mm.
3. Using the same egg-shaped cutter that cut the cookie shapes, cut a shape from the sugar paste, lift carefully, moisten the back with butter and place on the cookie. Repeat with other cookies in an assortment of colours.
4. Use a finger moistened with water to smooth and round the edges.
5. Add designs to the sugar paste with coloured icing.

Janice Anderssen is Women24's Decor and DIY expert. Ask her a question here or visit www.homedzine.co.za for more tips.