Serves: 12-14 sandwiched cookies
Prep: 40 mins Cook Time: 18 mins

INGREDIENTS
250g softened butter
1tsp vanilla paste
80g icing sugar
250g plain flour
50g cornflour

Filling
80g butter
120g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp rosewater
Pink dye (optional)
8 lychees (peeled, seeded, halved or quartered)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare two cookie trays by lining with parchment paper. Place butter, vanilla paste and icing sugar in an electric mixer bowl with the whisk attachment and beat until light, fluffy and pale in colour. Combine the flours, sift into the bowl and fold into the mixture.
Measuring 2 teaspoons of dough (or a cookie scoop - preferred) roll into balls with floured hands and place onto the cookie trays about 3cm apart. Press gently with a floured fork to achieve the classic melting moment shape. Bake for 18 minutes or until cooked through, yet still pale (like shortbread). Allow to cool.

BUTTERCREAM: In a mixer with whisk attachment place the butter, icing sugar, vanilla paste and rosewater in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. If too thick, add more water or milk. Add a small amount of pink dye (if desired) to acquire a pale pink colour and whisk through. The buttercream needs to be firm to hold the lychee in place.

ASSEMBLY: With your finger or the back of a spoon, smooth a small amount of icing as a protective layer over each flat side of the cookies (this prevents the moisture from the lychee seeping through). Place the rest of icing into a piping bag, pipe a ring around a melting moment, place a lychee in the middle (a half or quarter, depending on the size) and sandwich together gently with another biscuit. Chill in an airtight container. Best served the same day.

Kitchen Notes
:: Citrus is a delicious flavour pairing too! Why not try orange, orange blossom water as an alternate to rosewater?