It’s not often that we come across an idea online that stops us in our tracks. Many ideas have been over-used and seen a million times. But there are those unicorn moments when we love an idea on a blog so much that we just have to share with you.

 

Once we came across “Head of Fish” cookies on Family Friends Food website, it was hard to get it out of our minds.

 

Photo by Family Friends Food

 

These shortbread cookies are so simple to make and are actually made from heart cookie cutters. Helen (the brains behind FFF) realized that if you turn a heart 90 degrees it will look like a fish! Genius.

 

Photo by Chanie Nayman

 

Our Editor-in-Chief Chanie Nayman loved these cookies so much that she actually made reference to them in the most recent issue of Mishpacha Magazine.

 

These are really the perfect Rosh Hashanah treat that are unique, beautiful, super simple, and festive. 

 

Photo by Family Friends Food

 

Fish Head Cookie Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

• 1/4 cup light muscovado sugar

• 4 to 5 drops vanilla extract

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain flour

• Melted chocolate and metallic lustre dust to decorate

 

Directions:

 

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.

 

2. Add the flour and continue to beat well. The mixture will start to clump together into crumbs – at this stage, use your hands to press it into a ball of dough. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

 

3. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper or a silicone liner.

 

4. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Roll out the dough between two sheets of greaseproof paper to a thickness of four millimeters (3/16 inch). Use a 10-centimeter (four-inch) heart shaped cutter to shape the cookies. Impress scale patterns using a fluted cutter, the wide end of a piping tip, or a spoon.

5. Transfer the cookies to the prepared tray and bake at 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes or until just starting to turn a pale golden color. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Once cool, add a dot of melted chocolate for an eye and spray lightly with edible lustre dust to highlight the scaly patterns.

 

Tips:

 

You can use either butter or margarine – butter gives a superior flavor while margarine has the advantage of being parve.

 

Helen uses muscovado sugar for the flavor, but the recipe will work just as well with regular white caster (superfine) sugar.

 

You can also adjust the flavor of your shortbread by leaving out the vanilla and adding grated orange or lemon zest, a few drops of almond essence, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or mixed spice instead.

 

For more of Helen’s Rosh Hashanah recipes click here!