Christmas Biscuits

Biscuit making is the art of transforming staple products into delightful, crunchy bites.    Most recipes for Christmas biscuits are very old.  Pastry cooks from all over the world, using local products, presented us with their delicious "creations", that we still enjoy today.

PETITS FOURS

These aren’t really Christmas biscuits, but they are so festive in appearance, that I have included them in my celebration recipes.  

  

360 g (12 oz) butter, at room temperature

180 g (6 oz) caster sugar

A good pinch of salt

470 g (15 oz +2 tbsp) self-raising flour

6 medium-sized eggs, separated, whites reserved for later use

1 vanilla

250 g (½ lb) roasted almonds, thickly ground and mixed with

3-4 tbsp sugar

Cream the butter, add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy.   Stir in the vanilla and the egg- yolks, one at the time, and beat until well incorporated. Sift in the flour in portions and fold in until you have soft, pliable dough.  You might not need all the flour.  Remove, and wrap the dough and place in  the fridge for at least 30 minutes

Shape the dough into small walnut-sized balls. Dip each into the reserved egg whites, fold in the almond and sugar mixture and place in a baking tin, lined with baking parchment.   Bake in an oven, preheated to 180C (350 F) for about 25-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and when cold, store in biscuit tins.

Just before serving, garnish each petit-four with half a glace' cherry or a sliver of crystallized orange peel.

CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

These biscuits are made only once a year, but they are very popular with children and adults alike.   If you are artistic, (I’m not) you could prepare small, edible masterpieces that will be relished by your family and will be fondly remembered years after.

Biscuits: 

250 g (½ lb) butter, softened

A pinch of salt

150 g (5 oz) icing sugar

1 egg

Vanilla

330 g (11 oz) self-raising flour, sifted with

1 tsp baking powder

Beat butter and salt and add the icing sugar, gradually.  Stir in the egg and the vanilla until well combined together, and fold in the flour mixture.  Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it out, cover and chill for 30 minutes at least.

Roll out the dough rather thinly, and, using the biscuit cutters, shape bells, Christmas trees, rein-deers and stars and place them carefully on a baking tin, lined with baking parchment.  Bake the biscuits in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 6-8 minutes until  amber-coloured.  Cool and garnish with imagination.

Icing:

90 g (3 oz) butter, softened

360 g (12 oz) icing sugar

3-5 tbsp milk

1-2 drops food colouring

Mix the butter with icing sugar, add the milk and stir until the icing is spreadable.

Divide into 3 or 4 small bowls, add the food colouring and proceed with zest.   Happy Christmas!