Iced Spice Biscuits Recipes

SIMPLE ICED BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the butter in a bowl and beat it using an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Beat in the sugar, then the egg and vanilla or lemon, and finally the flour to make a dough. If the dough feels a bit sticky, add a little more flour and knead it in.
• Cut the dough into six pieces and roll out one at a time to about 5mm thickness on a floured surface. The easiest way to do this is to roll the mixture out on a baking mat. Cut out letter and number shapes (we used 7 x 4cm cutters) and peel away the leftover dough at the edges. Re-roll any off-cuts and repeat.
• Transfer the whole mat or the individual biscuits to two baking sheets (transfer them to baking parchment if not using a mat) and bake for 7-10 mins or until the edges are just brown. Leave to cool completely and repeat with the rest of the dough. You should be able to fit about 12 on each sheet. If you are using two sheets, then the one underneath will take a minute longer.
• Ice the biscuits using the pens to make stripes or dots, or colour in the whole biscuit if you like. They will keep for five days in an airtight container.

ICED SPICE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190c/375f/gas mark 5.
• Beat the butter and sugar til fluffy then beat the egg in bit by bit.
• Sift in the flour, salt and spice.
• Mix well and make a ball of firm dough.
• Roll the dough out until 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut dough into shapes.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• Mix the icing sugar and hot water until smooth.
• Colour if necessary.
• Spread onto biscuits.

SPICED LEMON & GINGER BISCUITS

Steps:

• Mix the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Stir in the spices, lemon zest and flour, then tip in the candied lemon peel and stem ginger - you might need to get your hands in to bring the mix together as a dough. Divide the dough in two and shape each half into a log about 5cm across. Wrap in cling film, then chill for 1 hr. You can freeze the unbaked dough for up to three months.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice the logs into 1cm-thick rounds, place on two baking trays lined with baking parchment and bake for 12-15 mins. Leave to cool completely on the tray.
• Mix the lemon juice with the icing sugar to make a thin glaze. Brush over the biscuits and leave to set. Will keep for three days in an airtight container.

SPICED CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

Steps:

• Gently melt the butter, muscovado sugar and syrup in a large pan until the sugar dissolves. Mix the flour, spices and ½ tsp salt. Cool the butter mixture a little, then stir in the bicarb. Immediately add half the spiced flour and beat well. Add the egg and the rest of the spiced flour, then beat well again until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. Tip onto a sheet of foil, flatten to a large disc, then cool and chill until firm. Will freeze for up to 6 weeks.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Halve the dough and roll out on a floured surface. Stamp out trees using a cutter about 10cm long and arrange, well spaced apart, on baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 mins until golden. Leave to harden, then lift onto a rack. Repeat with the remaining dough. Use the trimmings to stamp out 3-4cm stars, then bake for 9-10 mins.
• To decorate, mix about 3 tbsp water into the icing sugar to make a thick icing. Use to sandwich two trees together with a lolly stick between them. Use the rest of the icing to ice the trees and stars, adding sweets or sprinkling with the sugar. For a neater result, use the writing icing to make an outline of the tree before filling in with the icing. Leave to set. Will keep in a tin for 3-4 days.