CLOTTED CREAM & PISTACHIO BISCUITS

These spiced delights are gently flavoured with cardamom

MAKES about 24 ✳ PREP 25min, plus chilling, cooling and setting

✳ COOK about 25min

✳ 12 green cardamom pods

✳ 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened

✳ 100g (3½oz) clotted cream

✳ 100g (3½oz) caster sugar

✳ 300g (11oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust

✳ 75g (3oz) pistachios, finely chopped

✳ 200g (7oz) white chocolate, chopped

1 Using a pestle and mortar, bash the cardamom pods to break their husks. Peel them open and pick out the seeds. Discard the husks and, with the pestle and mortar, grind the seeds. 2 With a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter, clotted cream, sugar and ground cardamom until pale and smooth. Add the flour and mix until just combined, then stir through the pistachios. Bring together into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30min. 3 Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 5mm (¼in) thick and stamp out rounds using a 7cm (2¾in) cutter, rerolling trimmings as needed. You should have about 24 rounds. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing apart. Chill for 30min. 4 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and bake biscuits for 15-18min, until lightly golden at the edges. Allow biscuits to cool for a few min on the trays, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. 5 Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Take bowl off heat. Half-dip the biscuits into the chocolate, then return to the wire rack to set (chilling for 15min if needed). Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.