Serving size: Serves 10 or more
Cooking time: More than 1 hour
Course: Finger food
Favourite flavours: Cakes/baking

Spiced Christmas biscuits

INGREDIENTS

11/2 cups (225g) plain flour
3/4 cup (165g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
150g butter, chopped coarsely
1 egg yolk

JAM FILLING
1 teaspoon gelatine
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup (110g) strawberry or raspberry jam, sieved

ICING
1 egg white
11/2 cups (240g) pure icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD

1. Process flour, sugar, spices and butter until combined. Add egg yolk; process until combined. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Cover; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Divide dough into quarters; roll each quarter between sheets of baking paper to 3mm thickness. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line three oven trays with baking paper.
4. Cut 30 x 6.5cm squares from dough. Cut shapes from the centre of half of the squares. Place squares and cut-out biscuits on trays; bake for about 10 minutes or until browned lightly. Cool on trays.
5. JAM FILLING: Sprinkle gelatine over water in a small cup or jug. Stand in a small saucepan of simmering water; stir until dissolved. Add jam to gelatine mixture; stir well.
6. Turn square biscuits upside down so the flat side is facing up. Spread about 1 teaspoon of Jam Filling in the centre of each biscuit; top with the cut-out biscuits. Press lightly.
7. ICING: Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Beat in the sifted icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until combined. Stir in the juice. Keep the surface of the icing tightly covered when not in use. Place the Icing in a disposable piping bag; snip a tiny amount from the tip of the bag. Drizzle half of the biscuits with Icing; stand on wire racks until set.

Plain biscuits suitable to freeze. Jam Filling suitable to microwave.