Christmas cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 2/3 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 tsp orange or lemon zest, grated
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 4 teaspoons of milk
• 2 cups of premium flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Egg glaze

• 1 large egg yolk
• 2-3 drops of food coloring
• 900 g of powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites

Preparation:

1. CookieUsing a mixer, beat the margarine, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt through a sieve and fold them into the creamy mixture. Divide the dough into 2 portions (3 if doubling the recipe), place between 2 sheets of waxed paper, smooth out slightly, and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 0.6 cm and cut out cookies using cookie cutters. Transfer the cookies to greased baking sheets and chill for about 30 minutes, until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 190°C.
5. Egg glazeWhile the dough is chilling, combine the egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of water, and food coloring. Using a soft brush, brush the cookies with the egg wash.
6. Bake for 6-7 minutes. Don't let the cookies brown. They will rise slightly and the glaze will look cracked. Bake a second batch if you have any leftover dough.
7. Decorating with glazeWhile the cookies are baking, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and egg whites. Make sure the mixture is thick and holds its shape well.
   
   Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
   
   Using a pastry bag or a regular zip-lock bag (with the tip snipped off), decorate the cookies with white icing.