TODAY’S RECIPE: Chocolate orange cookies

THE perfect Christmas combo. MAKES 25

Ingredients

225g butter, softened 60g icing sugar 1 orange, zested and ½ juiced 300g self-raising flour 40g cocoa powder 175g dark chocolate, chopped 40g chopped candied orange peel 5 strips sugared candied orange peel, each cut into 5 pieces

Method

1 Beat butter with electric whisk until it is light and fluffy, then beat in icing sugar a little at a time, adding orange zest and 1 tbsp orange juice. Beat in flour and cocoa a little at a time, then mix in chocolate and orange peel.

2 Divide mixture into two, pat each into a rough log shape on a piece of non-stick wrap or baking parchment, then use wrap to help you shape each into a log 15cm long. Chill until firm, about two hours.

3 Heat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Line two baking sheets. Cut ½cm-thick cookies from dough and put on baking sheets, leaving space so they can puff up and spread. Put a piece of sugared candied orange on top of each. Bake for ten to 15 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on sheets for a couple of minutes before sliding onto a wire rack.