German spiced biscuits
Makes around 60 biscuits
Ingredients:​
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250g cholesterol spread (we use Benecol Light)
200g unrefined soft brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons treacle (Pop a bit of olive oil onto the spoon so the treacle slides off)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
300g plain flour (might need more if the dough is still very sticky and wet)
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
Method:
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Heat the oven to 180 fan.
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In a big bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
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Whisk in the treacle, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
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In a separate bowl, sift the flour and mix in the baking powder and spices.
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Add the dry mix to the creamed butter and sugar in stages, and working it together to form a dough.
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Cut it half, wrap and refrigerate for a half hour.
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Sprinkle the workstop with flour and rol the dough out untl about 5mm thick. Use Christmassy cutters to make shapes and lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Alternatively, cut them into squares.
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Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch them or they'll catch as they're very thin.
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This make lovely thin, snappy biscuits. If you want to embellish them more, make a water icing with icing sugar and a little bit of water and decorate.
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These make lovely presents. My sister, Fiona, makes my dad a huge batch every Christmas. He only wants the ones baked by her, he doesn't think my mum's are as good!
