Snowflakes

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbs water

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp double-acting baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 egg

1 square semisweet chocolate, melted

2 Tbs flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350°

In large bowl, measure first 8 ingredients. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well-mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Shape dough into a ball; wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough 2 to 3 hours until easy to handle.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll half of dough 1/8 inch thick, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. With floured 2 ¾ inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 stars. With floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 stars. Place stars on cookie sheet, ½ inch apart. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until lightly browned. Remove cookies to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings, cutting out equal number of large and small stars.

Assembling: With small metal spatula or artist’s paint brush, lightly spread bottom of each small star with some melted chocolate. Immediately place small stars, chocolate-side down, on top of large stars to that small-star points are in between large-star points. Then spread dab of chocolate on top center of each Snowflake; press some coconut on chocolate; let dry. Store cookies in tightly covered container.

Pat