Yo-yo biscuits

This Kiwi favourite are called yo-yo biscuits, because they look like the toy. They are egg-free and made from custard powder. When you use real butter, they are guaranteed to melt in your mouth. A number of cafés in New Zealand sell enormous yo-yo biscuits, but we prefer them smaller.

This recipe yields about 19 small yo-yos that are 5 cm in diameter.

Ingredients

Biscuits

  • 175 gram butter
  • ½ cup (65 gram) icing sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1⅓ cup (175 gram) flour
  • ½ cup (65 gram) custard powder

Icing

  • 2 tablespoons butter (or 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon passion fruit pulp)
  • 1 tablespoon custard powder
  • ⅓ cup icing sugar

Method

  1. Cream butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla.
  2. Sift the flour and custard powder over the creamed mixture and mix to combine.
  3. Roll into balls and place on baking tray. You can use a watermelon scoop to make sure they are the same size. Flatten each ball immediately with a fork or biscuit-stamp to prevent it from cracking.
  4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove when they are done but before they start to brown.
  5. Cool on tray for at least 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack until cold.
  6. Make the icing while the biscuits cool down: Melt the butter and mix the custard powder into the butter. Add icing sugar and mix to form a smooth paste.
  7. Sort the biscuits into pairs that match in size and shape, and sandwich them together with butter icing or filling.