Ingredients
Vanilla Soetkoekie dough:
• 2 cups of butter softened
• 2 cups castor sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp vanilla powder
• 1/3 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 6 cups cake flour
Royal icing:
• ¾ cup warm water
• 5 tbsp meringue or egg white powder
• 1tsp cream of tartar
• 1kg icing sugar
Instructions
The dough:
• Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2/3 large rectangular baking tray with parchment paper. Beat butter and sugar in an electric beater. Beat in eggs, vanilla, nutmeg till combined.
• In a separate bowl sift baking powder with flour and add to butter mixture slowly and a little at a time.
• The dough will become stiff, if it is too stiff for mixer turn dough out onto surface and with wet hands continue to incorporate the remaining flour by hand.
• Do not chill dough, divide it into smaller batched and roll out on floured surface to 5 mm.
• Cut out templates of each side of the house with a small sharp smooth bladed knife.
• Place cut shapes on parchment on trays and bake for 8-12 minutes until edges are golden.
• Remove from the oven, place templates over cookie again and re-define edges or shape if they have warped. Allow cookies to cool.
Royal icing:
• In a bowl whisk meringue powder and water. Add cream of tartar and whisk.
• Transfer to electric mixer and beat in icing sugar with paddle attachment for 10 minutes. Add colouring or flavouring.
• Cover icing with a damp towel to prevent drying out.