Penguin Icebox Cookies

It's been a while since I've made anything penguin-related and since today is Penguin says Feed Me's 2nd birthday, I couldn't think of a more appropriate occasion to bake these penguin icebox cookies.

I first saw these here way back in February and I knew I had to make them. Not only are they cute and adorable PENGUINS but they're purple as well (which is my favourite colour!).

And speaking of purple, I have yet to show off my brand new KitchenAid (in Grape!) which Sir D and a whole bunch of awesome food bloggers contributed towards for my birthday this year - thanks again!! She is yet to be named but I am open to suggestions!

I'm surprised it's already been 2 years since I started this blog. I can still remember the day I opened a Google account and clicked on "Create Blog" in Blogger, and stumbled around with all the different options, not having a clue what I was doing. Since then there has been 170 blog posts, 1785 comments, a few blog layout changes, countless food photos and priceless friendships forged. And even though there's been a few "OMG I broke my blog!" moments, and many mornings where I've woken up bleary-eyed and tired from blogging late into the night, I don't regret a single moment of it!

Penguin Icebox Cookies
makes about 20 cookies

110g butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
purple food colouring (or red and blue food colouring)
200g plain flour
Poppy seeds and sesame seeds for decorating
White chocolate for decorating

1. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add salt and egg yolk and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix.

2. Take about 3/4 of the mixture out of the mixer and set aside. Add 50g of the flour to the smaller portion and mix until a dough forms. Remove from the mixer and wrap with cling wrap and set aside.

3. Take the remainder of the butter, sugar and egg mixture and mix in the purple food colouring (or red and blue colouring in a ratio of about 3:1) until the desired colour is achieved. Add the remaining 150g of flour and mix until a dough forms. Wrap with cling wrap.

4. To make the penguin shapes, take the smaller, yellow dough and roll out into a log about 2cm in diameter. Set aside. Take the larger, purple dough and roll out into a rectangle shape as long as the yellow log and about 1.5cm in height. Flatten out the sides of the rectangle with the rolling pin and then wrap the purple dough around the yellow dough and seal the edges. For a diagram of this process, check out the original recipe from Diamonds for Dessert.

5. Wrap the entire log in cling wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 160ºC and line a cookie sheet with baking paper. When the dough is firm, take the log out of the fridge and slice with a serrated knife into 0.5cm slices. Place the slices onto the lined cookie sheet. Place two poppy seeds on top of the cookie as the eyes, and a sesame seed as the beak. Chill slices for 10 minutes in the fridge. Place in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes and cool on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. When the cookies are completely cooled, melt some white chocolate and pipe feet and wings onto the cookies. Alternatively, use a toothpick to apply the white chocolate to the cookies.