SPICY JAM DROPS

PREP + COOK TIME 45 MINUTES (+ COOLING) MAKES 24

30g butter

1/3 cup (115g) golden syrup

1 cup (150g) plain flour ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon cocoa powder 1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped

mixed peel

¼ cup (80g) raspberry jam

60g dark eating chocolate, melted

1 Melt butter in small saucepan; add syrup, bring to the boil. Remove pan from heat; cool for 10 minutes.

2 Stir in sifted dry ingredients, milk and peel. Cover; cool for 2 hours.

3 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease two oven trays. 4 Knead dough on a surface dusted with a little extra flour until dough loses its stickiness.

5 Roll dough between sheets of baking paper to about 8mm thick. Using a 4cm fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds from dough.

Place about 3cm apart on trays.

6 Using the end of the handle of a wooden spoon, gently press hollows into each round; fill with ½ teaspoon of jam.

7 Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool completely on trays.

8 Spread flat sides of biscuits with chocolate. Place biscuits, jam-side down, on foil-lined trays. Leave to set at room temperature.

DO AHEAD

You can make these jam drops up to 4 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.