A perfect snack or Christmas gift. Keep in an air tight container for up to 4-5 days or freeze on day of baking for up to a month. These can be defrosted in less than an hour. You can even make little holes in the top, thread with ribbon, tie a knot and hang on the tree for the children to find.
These biscuits do tend to go a little soft if not kept in an air tight tin - so hang them on the tree at the last minute - they won''t be there long...
Makes:25Ingredients:
200g plain flour*
1/2 tsp baking powder
60g unsalted cold butter
Zest of one orange
50g dried cranberries
60mls orange juice
*Half of the flour can be replaced with ground almonds if you prefer - this gives the biscuits a really lovely soft texture.
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas mark 5.
2. In a large bowl mix the baking powder into the flour, then rub in the butter with your finger tips, or pulse together in a food processor.
3. Add in the orange zest and cranberries, and combine thoroughly (for a better distribution of the cranberries, chop them up a little smaller). Add the orange juice a little at a time and mix in to create a dough which should be smooth but not sticky, add a little extra juice or flour to correct as needed.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, then cut out christmas shapes with the cutters of your choice. You can also add a hole so that the biscuits can be hung from the Christmas tree. To create a hole, simple use a straw to punch out a small hole.
5. Use a palette knife to carefully lift the biscuit shapes off the worktop and onto a lined baking sheet. Re-roll the leftover dough and cut out more shapes. Let your little ones choose their favourite Christmas shapes, and have a go at cutting their own biscuit.
6. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until just golden - keep a watchful eye - they can burn very quickly. Transfer to a cooling rack and wait as long as you can before nibbling!
7. You can add a little Christmas decoration to the top of the biscuits if you like. Simply spread the top of each biscuit with a little maple syrup or coconut oil, then press sticky side down into a pile of desiccated coconut, for a fantastic 'snowy' topping.
More on Parentdish: