Ingredients
150g butter, diced and softened
2/3 C (150g) caster sugar
¾ C (115 g) plain flour
¾ C (115g) self-raising flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom (or 6 cardamom pods, husks removed and seeds finely ground in a mortar and pestle)
2 oranges
some favourite seeds or nuts to sprinkle on top (optional)
Summary
These beauties – from The Hungry Girls’ Cookbook, Volume 2 – have a wonderful crumbly texture and amazing flavour. Use your favourite kind of flour, and consider doubling the recipe – an extra batch of this dough in the fridge might really save an afternoon tea emergency.
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl, and add the flour and spices. Zest both of the oranges and add that in. Slice one orange in half, and squeeze 3 tbsp of juice into the bowl. Mix all the ingredients well. Tear off a long strip of baking paper, and scoop the biscuit mixture onto it so that it forms a fairly even sausage about 5 cm thick. Roll up the baking paper around the log so that it the dough is all quite even, twist up the ends and pop it in the fridge until firm – an hour or two will do.
While you wait for the dough to chill, preheat the oven to 170ºC. Brush some baking trays with extra melted butter, covering generously. Get the dough and slice the log into rounds 5-10mm thick. Place them on the trays, with a bit of room to spread, and sprinkle the top with some seeds or roughly chopped nuts. Bake for 15 mins or until just lightly brown. Cool to touch and transfer to a cooling rack. Store in a glass jar and devour with a hot cuppa and some good company (optional).