Monday 30 July 2012

Christmas In July. Sort Of!

I made these cute biscuits on the weekend as a practice run for 80-odd I'll be making for my cousin's engagement party. I'm none too confident with biscuits but - whether it was because I was paying especial care, or it was just a great recipe - these are a winner. Think gingerbread with no ginger - spicy and more chewy than crunchy. I did a half batch and got about twenty out of it using two largish snowflake cutters. We shan't discuss how many there would have been if I hadn't picked at the straggly bits of cookie dough as I cut the biscuits out...

CHRISTMAS SPICE BISCUITS - Margaret Fulton's "Baking"

2 2/3c (400g) SR flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/2tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground nutmeg
1tsp ground white pepper (I used black pepper with no apparent ill effects)
1/2c (110g) each of castor sugar and firmly packed brown sugar
250g butter, diced
1/3c milk
1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
Decorating stuff (I used royal icing, silver cachous and disco dust, plus a snowflake stencil

Oven at 180oC. Line trays with baking paper (I used 2 trays for a half batch)

Sift everything as far as the sugars into a large bowl. Add butter and rub in until resembles breadcrumbs (or be lazy like me and dump the whole lot in a food processor to do most of the work then finish it off by hand).

Combine milk and bicarb in a cup and stir into flour mixture (I used a butter knife to get it started). Knead lightly to form a firm but elastic dough (I kept going until it stuck together properly and could roll a ball with it. Wouldn't say it was an especially light knead but it came out okay). Halve dough, wrap in Glad wrap and refrigerate 30mins.

Roll out dough (leave other bit in fridge) to about 4mm and cut with cutters of choice. Re-knead dough scraps and re chill before rolling out again.

Bake 15-20mins or until golden. Keep an eye on them as they will catch quickly. You may need to rotate pans. Decorate as desired (recipe suggests a dusting of icing sugar.

20 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Your stenciling is beautiful, looks like Christmas front cover of Women's Day! And I love the Disco Dust, I'll have to get myself some I think :)

      Delete
    2. Thanks Erica :) I LOVE DISCO DUST!!! It looks great on cup cakes as well. It's not cheap but a little bit goes a long way. Apply it with a soft-bristled brush - dip it in, then get your finger (or a skewer) and rub the brush against it so you're sprinkling over the top of the baked goods.

      Delete
  2. 1. White pepper looks like cigarette ash, so cooking with it always gives me the wiggens.
    2. It's the cook's prerogative to eat all the little straggly bits!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are two reasons I cook. One, to see that "mmm" look on people's faces, and two, to eat the bits I want.

      Must say I'm curious as to the difference in taste between black and white pepper... and yet, not curious enough to Google it!

      Delete
  3. Aw I love Christmas in July! So fun! Those little cookies are too cute :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kristina :) Christmas in July is a really obvious conclusion for Australians (but I haven't technically attended one), and yet we insist on cooking a roast on Christmas day in the height of summer!

      Delete
  4. I don't think there is a flavour difference between white and black pepper - but there is a visual difference, so when you don't want black specks through your food white pepper is often suggested.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aww the snowflakes in the centre are so cute! So perfect for Christmas in July! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really stoked I found the stencil! I'm just a bit scared it's going to break half way through the 80...

      Delete
  6. They are so pretty Vanessa. I can't imagine having to make 80 of them. Good on you! They really do look Christmasy xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the relatively easy version - I played around with gum paste and the texture mat that came with the cutters first which was fiddly and took about ten minutes per biscuit, and my consensus was NO FREAKING WAY!!! These are okay once you get a production line going :)

      Delete
  7. Aren't those cute! I've always loved the idea of Christmas in July, especially in Australia when the weather feels 'right' to me :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always wanted a proper white Christmas, and the closest I came was Christmas in the UK a few years back. Unfortunately in snowed the month before, but Christmas day was just cold and overcast and miserable. On the plus side, a pair of squirrels were playing on the lawn which was pretty cool for me to see!

      Delete
  8. Oh Christmas makes me SO happy :) even if its in July ;) I love the decorations! Fab!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Nic :) Christmas makes me deliriously happy. I stop just short of wearing dorky reindeer jumpers, but I'm all about the baking and the fairy lights and the beautifully wrapped presents and the seeing family and friends *sighs happily*

      Delete
  9. Love these!! They sound so yummy! And what a nice little holiday treat! I especially love your icing design! I am going to have to try this recipe! ...soon too- because now I am craving cookies!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just be careful with the cookie dough. If you like cinnamon it's very addictive. And because it's egg free you can eat as much as you like! Not that cake batter/cookie dough containing raw egg ever stopped me before... ;)

      Delete

Give me the loves! Erm, I mean, comment here...