How to Make Swirled Heart Cookies

Make the cookies first. Preheat oven to 180ºC.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture 100g at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls.

On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 30cm diameter x 0.5cm thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use.

Cut out shapes using heart cutters.

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Prepare royal icing. Beat sugar and water in large bowl with electric mixer until icing forms peaks and loses its sheen: 7-10 mins for a stand mixer, 10-12 mins for a hand mixer.

To thin icing for flow-in: add 1/2 tsp water at a time until reaching the correct consistency. Thin icing to a count of 18 seconds – slice through it with a knife and count how long it takes to come together again. The more water you add, the faster it will come together.

To check consistency, drop a dollop of thinned icing back into the bowl. If it sinks into the rest of the icing at a full count of 10 then you are good to go. If you feel the icing is too thin add a little icing sugar and remix.

Set aside two 60g portions icing and tint 60g red and 60g rose. Reserve white thinned icing.

Prepare decorating bags. Place icing, separately, in disposable decorating bags.

Cut tips off bags when ready to decorate. Use white icing to outline and fill in cookies. Immediately pipe red and rose dots; use toothpick to swirl dots to create marble effect. Let dry overnight.