Christmas wreath biscuits
A simple orange-flavoured biscuit topped with white chocolate and bejewelled with brightly coloured dried fruit and pistachios.
Ingredients
- 115g/4oz unsalted butter
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 2 oranges, finely grated zest only
- 1 small free-range egg, beaten
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú cornflour
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ground almonds
To decorate
- 40g/1½oz slivered pistachios or pistachios
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú white chocolate, cut into chunks
- 25g/1oz dried cranberries
- 40g/1½oz dried barberries
Method
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the orange zest and two-thirds of the egg. Add the flours and almonds and mix to form a dough, adding a little extra flour if you need it to make a rollable dough.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to 8mm. Place on a baking tray and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Cut 18 biscuits out with a ring template 5cm/2in in diameter and cut out a smaller circle in the middle so it looks like a wreath, re-rolling the dough if you need to.
Bake for 12–15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
If you have bought whole pistachios, soak them in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then skin them and cut them into slivers.
Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Use a small palette knife to drizzle and spread over the biscuits.
Decorate with the pistachios, barberries and cranberries. Leave to set.