GEORGE’S KOURABIETHES

Traditional Christmas biscuits in my family are buttery, crumbly kourabiethes, from Cyprus and Greece. As it goes, though, I make them all year round, because I couldn’t possibly wait a whole year to sink my teeth into them.

YOU WILL NEED

2 large baking trays, lined withbakingpaper Foodquality spray bottle

Hands on 30 mins Makes 40

65g blanched almonds, finely chopped

40g pistachios

250g unsalted butter, softened

200g caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten A pinch of salt

1tsp vanilla paste

2tbsp rosewater

1tbsp brandy

525g plain flour

1tbsp baking powder

To decorate

200ml rosewater

500g icing sugar, sifted

PREPARE THE NUTS Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Spread the almonds over one of the lined baking trays, sprinkle with a little water and roast for 4-5 minutes, until light golden. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a plate and re-line the baking tray. Blitz the pistachios in a food processor to the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

MAKE THE DOUGH

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the beater on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until pale and creamy, scraping down the inside of the bowl from time to time. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the pistachios, almonds, salt, vanilla, rosewater and brandy and mix again to combine.

Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix everything together with a wooden spoon. As the mixture stiffens, use your hands to combine it into a dough.

BAKE THE BISCUITS

Roll into 40 walnut-sized balls and shape each ball into a crescent. Place on the baking trays, making sure there is enough space between them to spread slightly. Bake for 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Leave to cool completely on the trays on wire racks.

DECORATE To decorate, fill a spray bottle with rosewater and place the icing sugar in a bowl. Once the biscuits have cooled, spray both sides of each one with rosewater, then dunk in the icing sugar, making sure each biscuit is evenly coated. Repeat until all the biscuits are sprayed with rosewater and coated in icing sugar, ready to serve.