That takes the biscuit
Put the kettle on, morning tea’s in the oven
HOME-MADE biscuits, like most other food, taste better than anything that comes in a packet. Except Tim Tams, of course. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but a good, home-made bikkie hits the spot with a cup of tea or a latte. The trick is to make sure you only eat one – sometimes not an easy thing to do.
Biscuits also make a welcome gift; most recipes are not hard to make and just about everybody appreciates the effort.
Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a pretty bow, these almond biscuits would make a great Christmas gift for someone you want to spoil. They will also keep well for a couple of weeks in an airtight container. Store in a dark place.
And now I’ve mentioned Christmas (sorry), it is time to make puddings and cakes before the weather becomes unbearably hot and humid.
Cooking them now also gives them a chance to mature. The flavour definitely improves with age.
While an Australian summer is not the ideal climate for eating plum pudding or a dark fruit cake, some traditions are hard to let go of. I still love pudding with custard for Christmas lunch, and you can freeze any leftovers and reheat in winter.
If you would like a recipe for either, just email me at the address below.
Almond biscuits
Makes 18
INGREDIENTS: ◗ 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature ◗ cup sugar ◗ 1 medium free-range egg ◗ 2 tsp almond essence or Amaretto liqueur ◗ cup almond meal ◗ 1 cups plain flour
◗ 18 whole almonds ◗ a little extra sugar for garnish
METHOD: Cream together butter and sugar; beat in egg, almond essence or Amaretto, and almond meal until well combined. Gradually mix in the flour until incorporated.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 50mm wide log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Preheat oven to 200C.
Remove plastic wrap and slice dough into rounds 3-4mm thick.
Place on ungreased baking trays and lightly press a whole almond on top of each. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar.
Bake at 200C for 5-8 minutes, or until biscuits are cooked. Cool completely on the trays then transfer to an airtight container.