We are in Altea this year for Christmas and my mother is keeping us company till after the three Kings in January. We baked spiced star biscuits for the tree yesterday and Red reckons we are rotten to have hung them out of his reach...
That is so kewl !!! And yes, it kinda sucks that Mum hung them up so high !!! LOL !!! Happy Holidays!
When things I have settled down after the holidays, I would love the recipe for the the spice ornaments, or biscuits. I had it once a long while ago and would like to make them again. They always smell sooo good! I don't blame Red for being a little upset!
Most certainly, I´ll wait till I get a breather and send it to you, they do smell wonderful and do tend to mysteriously vanish from the tree. Red and Islay are not the culprits...
Why don't you post it in the recipe section?
They do sound wonderful and what a fun tradition I could start with Reagan for the holidays. I'm with Mike, could you post it in the Recipie Section of WW? I'd love to have the recipie also.
Dee
And, Red looks as handsome as ever! And, Duggie says that he'll come and help Red shimmy up the tree to get the biscuits!
Quote from: Mike on December 22, 2011, 05:19:27 AM
Why don't you post it in the recipe section?
O.k. Mike, i'm not sure I'll manage before Christmas, but I'll try- they are not at all complicated- it's me who is short on time tending to my mother's every need. I am setting her on making marzipan dachsies today for the tree so I can get some things done.
Quote from: DeeanDave on December 22, 2011, 08:59:44 AM
They do sound wonderful and what a fun tradition I could start with Reagan for the holidays. I'm with Mike, could you post it in the Recipie Section of WW? I'd love to have the recipie also.
Dee
And, Red looks as handsome as ever! And, Duggie says that he'll come and help Red shimmy up the tree to get the biscuits!
Red would love some help. Please end Duggie on a sleigh here pronto.
Will get the recipe to you asap. Have been decorating the tree with spiced biscuits since I was two years old. Marzipan dachsies are another favourite decoration. I am setting my mother onto making them tomorrow as I have tons to do still.
Love to you all. We got you gorgeous card today and are thrilled at all your photos, thanks so much.
Super awesome and yummy tree! :thumb:
Love to bake would love the recipe also and I thank you ahead of time today I baked two loaves Pumpkin bread, Apple walnut ring,Chocolate cake, Pumpkin roll ( did not roll right) & two loaves Banana bread.
Having 9 in a 800 sq ft house with a 13.8 # Dachshund who does not like kids ? & a 90# Doberman one of the kids is suppose to be scared of dogs ? My DIL now has all 4 of her sister s kids 13,8,7,& 6 not sure how long they will stay with DIL & son who have no children of their own the sister is a real witch she tried really hard to ruin my son & DIL wedding I wanted to take her behind the church a beat her up My MIL wanted to help too.The witch maybe going to jail since the stupid broad had drugs in the house, her husband now is not the father of the kids and he got too friendly with the 13 year old and she told her mom the witch and she did no believe her and told the 13 old to get out of her house.Then DHS went to the house to check on the other younger kids found the drugs and removed the kids so my DIL stepped in and took in all the kids. I'm having my MIL and DIL, Son and all the kids for Christmas dinner in my little tiny house so have not figured out where I will put everyone yet but we will figure it out some how.Not sure about patches and kids every time she see s she barks & growls at them rather be safe than sorry Patches will be in jail while they are here, Buddy will be outside or in my bedroom with the door shut just depends on the weather if its nice i can leave them outside in the back yard. Buddy's breeder had kids so he should be ok with kids but Patches also was around kids where she was born and was till she was 16 weeks old when I got her. ?
LOL Red is so cute! The tail is wagging, it's blurred at the end! Visions of tree biscuits....
:grin:
So I take it this is a human biscuit and not a doxie one?
Have a Merry Christmas!
Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on December 23, 2011, 11:02:23 PM
LOL Red is so cute! The tail is wagging, it's blurred at the end! Visions of tree biscuits....
:grin:
So I take it this is a human biscuit and not a doxie one?
Have a Merry Christmas!
Definitely human: loads of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, aniseed and - optionally - alcofrolic icing!
Red and Islay get dried fish biscuits in their santa socks instead.
BTW his tail never ever stops unless he´s sleeping and it even wags then sometimes. I think it´s the secret to his slim physique actually.
If anyone has time to bake them today they are better organized on Christmas Eve than I am..here goes:
SPICED STAR BISCUITS
2tbsp runny honey
25g (1oz) unsalted butter
50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves
pinch ground aniseed or drop of aniseed liqueur
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
1tbsp finely chopped candied orange peel
50g (20z) ground almonds
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tbsp milk
TO DECORATE
150g Icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp aniseed liqueur or plain water
Silver balls, edible gold glitter, etc. to taste
1. Put the honey, butter, sugar and citrus zests into a small pan and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted and the ingredients are well combined.
2. Sift the flour, spices and salt together into a bowl, then add the chopped candied peel and ground almonds. Add the melted mixture, beaten egg and milk, and mix until the dough comes together.
3. Knead the dough briefly until smooth, then wrap in cling film and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. At this stage you can also freeze the dough to use later but it does lose some fragrance once it has been frozen.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface ( I use no flour and use a silicone/ silpat sheet) to a 5mm (1/4 inch) thickness. Stamp out stars, using a cutter or freehand, and put on baking sheets. I line mine with silpat or baking parchment so they don´t stick. DON´T FORGET to poke a small hole in each for threading ribbon through or cut a circle out of the centre to thread ribbon through.
5. Bake at 180ºC ( 160ºC fan oven) mark 4 Gas for 15-20 minutes or until just beginning to brown at the edges. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool and harden. If you forgot to poke a hold or cut a circle you can still do so whilst the biscuits are soft and on the baking tray. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks or decorate, hang on tree and enjoy the fragrance and taste.
6. To decorate, mix the icing sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp aniseed liqueur or plain water to make a smooth icing. Coat some of the biscuits with icing, drizzle others, as you like. Pipe icing dots on biscuits and stick on silver balls or gold glitter to taste.
Makes about 3 biscuits, take around 15 mins preparation plus chilling time, baking takes around 15-20 minutes.
Hope you have a go and like them, Merry Christmas everybody!