Cocoa and Vanilla Christmas Cane Biscuits

Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time to allow it to soften properly.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy.

Add the eggs and vanilla powder, then mix again until everything is fully combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a smooth dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until it's smooth. If it feels too sticky, dust with a little extra flour.

Divide the dough into two equal portions.

Knead the cocoa powder into one half until it's evenly incorporated. You should now have one vanilla dough and one cocoa dough.

To shape the Christmas cane biscuits, pinch off a small piece of vanilla dough and roll it into a thin rope.

Do the same with a small piece of cocoa dough, rolling it into a thin rope.

Twist the two ropes together, gently rolling them so the colours intertwine.

Shape the twisted ropes into small cane-like sticks and place them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

Note: This recipe makes a fairly large amount of dough, so you won’t be able to bake all the Christmas cane biscuits at once. While the first batch is in the oven, wrap the remaining dough tightly in cling film to prevent it from drying out.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) with a fan.

Bake the biscuits for about 10 minutes, until they are just set but not browned.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming soft underneath.

Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin to keep them soft and fresh.