Ingredients

• 115g/4oz unsalted butter
• softened
• 30g/1oz icing sugar
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 100g/3½oz icing sugar
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• 150g/5½oz strawberries
• hulled
• 185g/6½oz jam sugar
• small knob of butter

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4/180C. Grease two baking trays.
• Using a hand-held electric mixer
• cream the butter until it is soft and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar
• mixing on a low speed until it is all combined
• then increase the speed and beat until light and creamy.
• Gradually add the flour and custard powder
• beating as you do so. The mixture should be loose enough to pipe through a piping bag; add a little cold water if needed.
• Spoon in the biscuit mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle
• squeeze the mixture down to remove any air bubbles. Pipe 24 stars onto the baking trays
• 4cm/1½in apart. Bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes
• or until the biscuits are pale golden-brown at the edges.
• Remove the trays from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
• To make the custard cream filling
• beat the butter using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy
• then add the icing sugar and beat at a low speed to combine. Add the custard powder
• continue beating until thoroughly combined then set the mixture aside. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
• To make the jam
• blend the strawberries in a food processor or with a hand blender to make a purée. Place the purée in a saucepan and add the sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then add the butter. Turn the heat up and when the mixture has reached a rolling boil continue boiling for four more minutes. Remove the pan from heat and pour the jam into a bowl to cool.
• Spoon the jam into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.
• Check the biscuits are completely cool then use a palette knife to lift them onto a clean tea towel
• flat side uppermost
• pairing them up as you go. Be careful as the biscuits are very fragile.
• Pipe a circle of custard cream filling onto half the stars
• then fill with the jam. Place the paired star on top
• pressing it down gently.