Special Equipment

Stand mixer or Hand held Mixer

Bell Shaped Cutter
Rolling Pin
Baking Paper
3 Baking trays
Double Boiler Saucepan OR a saucepan and separate heatproof bowl (large enough to sit on top of the saucepan)

Ingredients

125g of Pure Icing Sugar plus extra for dusting
250g of good quality Butter, softened and cut into chunks
265g of Plain flour
110g of Corn Flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

250g White Chocolate, broken up into rough pieces
20g of Copha or Vegetable Shortening

Create

To make the cookies

Add the Butter and Icing Sugar into a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until creamy. This should take about 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the Plain flour and Corn Flour and Vanilla extract. Mix well until a dough starts to form. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and separate into 2 balls.

Flatten each of the dough balls with a rolling pin into two discs and press between two sheets of baking paper each. Put into the fridge for 15 minutes.

Roll out each disc to a 5mm thickness and cut out the shapes. Spread out onto the baking trays and return to the fridge again for another 15 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F).

Bake for 15 minutes. Cookies will start to turn a lovely golden colour. Let the Cookies cool whilst preparing the chocolate.

To make the chocolate

IF using a double boiler saucepan, add the Chocolate and Copha/Shortening into the top saucepan and water in the bottom pan. Fill just enough water on the bottom pan so that it does not touch the bottom of the top saucepan. Put on medium heat.

IF using a normal saucepan and bowl, add the Chocolate and Copha/Shortening into the bowl and water into the saucepan. Fill just enough water in the saucepan so that is does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Put on medium heat.

Allow the Chocolate and Copha/Shortening to melt slowly and stir to ensure a nice smooth Chocolate consistency. Once all melted, allow to cool for a few minutes.

Dip the Bell Cookies into the White Chocolate ensuring that the Chocolate coats the front and the back of the cookie. Alternatively, a teaspoon can be used to coat the Chocolate over the front and the back of the Cookie. Return to the baking tray and refrigerate until the White Chocolate has set.

Once ready, dust with the extra icing sugar.

Makes approx 40 cookies.

Tips:

The higher cornflour content can make the dough a bit crumby to work with but persist in pressing it back into shape when working the dough. This will give the Cookie a crisper texture.

If baking is required on a hot day, keep returning the dough to the fridge so that it can be easier to work with.

Store in an airtight container. Cookies should be able to be kept for 7 days.