hazelnut rosettes

the big book of beautiful biscuits by the australian women's weekly was the first book i bought from the weekly library, and for all i know, it may well have been their first book (i'd love to know if anyone does know) from that collection. after buying this book (some nearly 30 years ago), i was hooked and now have a good number of books from the collection. i'm sure i don't have the entire library, but pretty close. there were some things which didn't interest me, believe it or not.
i'm not sure whether i'm stuck in a time warp, but i find the books from this collection a joy to own; the newer ones, while slick and stylish don't have the same appeal. i have many of the newer ones, but cannot say i have used them to the extent i have used the older ones...they're just nice to look at, but don't inspire me to get up and make something from them. to be really honest, i don't think i've cooked anything out of them....there, i've said it.....major confession, major sin.
but this biscuit book is my redemption. there are many biscuits i have made out of it and each one delicious. i haven't made all the biscuits, yet, but given the opportunity (read: finding people outside this household to help eat them) and the time, i intend to at least give it a try. other people's ambitions in life are to conquer mountains; mine, to conquer recipes (i'd really like to have the opportunity to travel more, especially america and europe, but making something out of a cookbook is more within my reach).
the recipe i offer today is a favourite. as a beginner cook all those years ago, this gave me the confidence to continue cooking and baking.

hazelnut rosettes
from the big book of beautiful biscuits by the australian women's weekly

250 g butter
1/3 cup sugar
60 g ground hazelnuts
1 2/3 cups plain flour
choc bits to decorate

beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
add ground hazelnuts, beat until combined.
add sifted flour.
mix well.
put mixture into a piping bag fitted with a fluted tube. pipe small stars into small paper patty cases and top each biscuit with a choc bit.
bake in a moderate oven approximately 15 minutes or until biscuits are light brown.
makes about 50.
note: the small paper patty cases used for confectionary are an ideal size for these delicious biscuits.