Ginger biscuits have always been a holiday staple but this ginger-orange combination might just replace your old-time favourite! They are a bit messy to make as the dough is really soft and sticky but it is exactly that, that gives these biscuits their wonderful snap.
The recipe makes about 120 biscuits, depending on the size you make each. Keeps well in an airtight container and can be made long in advance.
45ml orange peel, pith removed and finely chopped
juice of one orange
50g brown sugar
Add the chopped orange peel, orange juice and sugar to a small saucepan over a medium-low heat.
Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and it comes to a gentle simmer.
Simmer for about 5 minutes - keep your eye on it as it tends to rise up in the saucepan!
Put aside.
500g self-raising flour
10ml cream of tartar
10ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml ground ginger
2ml salt
170g butter, cubed
170 g golden syrup
300g brown sugar
2 eggs
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Grease two large baking sheets.
Sift the flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Add the butter to these dry ingredients and rub it in by hand.
Pour the golden syrup into a saucepan and place it on medium heat until melted.
Add the brown sugar to the syrup and stir over low heat until most of the sugar has dissolved. You will have sugar grains in the mixture - make sure it is really runny.
Add the orange and syrup mixture that you made earlier to this, stir through and take off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool to the point where it is still runny.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add it to the cooled syrup mixture, whisking as you do.
Add the syrup mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until there are no traces of dry flour left.
Now cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to cool for at least an hour; I leave mine overnight. Once the dough is cold it will be easier to shape.
Take the dough from the refrigerator and scoop out a teaspoon full, roll it into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the ball slightly with your fingers. The dough balls should be about 4 cm apart on the baking sheet as they tend to spread when baking.
Once the baking sheet is filled, bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
Cool the biscuits on the baking sheet once cooked as they are very soft.
The biscuits store well in a sealed container.
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