Prepare cookie sheet covered with parchment paper; combine all ingredients with mixer until dough holds shape

Form ingredients into balls, or portion small amount into mold

Dust inside mold with icing sugar every time; push dough firmly into mold with index finger of right hand (if right handed) keeping left hand firmly holding mold in place in closed position

Push into ingredients with index finger to form hollow cavity for filling, carefully feeling all sides and top of shell to ensure consistent thickness; remove extra dough pushed up bottom edges of mold so mold is ready to sit on flat surface

Set mold in closed position on parchment paper; gently open mold to release shell;

If one half, or a portion of shell seems to stick, pick up mold with dough in it, place upside down in left had (if right handed) cavity open on top; place index finger inside and press very gently on loosened side of mold while opening it to release resistant side, and it will release; place back onto parchment paper and release from mold

Once all 30 shells are released; cure on cookie sheet, uncovered, in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours

Preheat the oven to 325ºF; cover cookie sheet with parchment paper

Combine sugar and flour mixture; mix well

Work in butter; knead

It will be a very small amount; wrap in plastic and refrigerate

Roll cool dough to ⅛ inch or very thin on floured pastry cloth using a rolling pin cloth cover

Cut out shapes; gently transfer the almost transparent cut outs to cookie sheet

Bake for 5-7 minutes, until a very light golden on the bottom (still white on top; see photo of bottoms)

Cool on rack; once each beehive is filled place shortbread wafer on bottom, topside up

Remove shells from fridge; with a very sharp knife, or razor, trim excess dough on each shell from seam created by mold

Place back in fridge

Combine all ingredients and whip until fluffy and voluminous

Place into a pastry bag; if alone, use tall glass or vase: place clip at bottom of pastry bag to avoid ingredients spilling out; pull pastry bag over the sides of the glass or vase and fill the bag with the pastry cream

Pipe filling into each cavity; closing each with a cookie wafer

Prepare cookie sheet covered with parchment paper

Weigh ingredients into TM bowl; combine for 15 - 30 seconds at speed 3 to 4 until dough holds shape

Form ingredients into balls, or portion small amount into mold

Dust inside mold with icing sugar every time; push dough firmly into mold with index finger of right hand (if right handed) keeping left hand firmly holding mold in place in closed position

Push into ingredients with index finger to form hollow cavity for filling, carefully feeling all sides and top of shell to ensure consistent thickness; remove extra dough pushed up bottom edges of mold so mold is ready to sit on flat surface

Set mold in closed position on parchment paper; gently open mold to release shell;

If one half, or a portion of shell seems to stick, pick up mold with dough in it, place upside down in left had (if right handed) cavity open on top; place index finger inside and press very gently on loosened side of mold while opening it to release resistant side, and it will release; place back onto parchment paper and release from mold

Once all 30 shells are released; cure on cookie sheet, uncovered, in fridge for 24 to 48 hours

Made by hand, so instructions are the same as those above

Remove cured shells from fridge; using a very sharp knife, or razor blade, trim excess dough extending from seam of each shell

Place back in fridge

Weigh ingredients into TM bowl; insert butterfly

Whip until fluffy and voluminous for 15 to 30 seconds on speed 4

Place into a pastry bag; if alone, use tall glass or vase: place clip at bottom of pastry bag to avoid ingredients spilling out; pull pastry bag over the sides of the glass or vase and fill the bag with the pastry cream

Pipe filling into each cavity; closing each with a cookie wafer bottom side down for hive to sit upon