Vanilla stars

Step 1

Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour, custard powder and milk. Stir until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a well-floured surface and bring together. Shape into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to rest.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 160C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Cut the dough in half. Roll out 1 dough portion on a floured surface until 4mm thick. Use a 7cm star-shaped cutter to cut stars from the dough, re-rolling when necessary. Place on the prepared trays.

Step 3

Press cachous gently into the points of each star and sprinkle with white sugar. Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes or until light golden underneath. Set aside on the trays to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, cachous and white sugar.