Day 23 and as we’re close to the night the big man arrives with his sleigh, it’s time to start baking his favourite treats. Gingerbread biscuits are an obvious Christmas treat so had to be included in my recipes– this time with the addition of lemon for that extra zing. For those Americans who may have been confused and expected a Scone-like Ginger and Lemon ‘Biscuit’ (especially as I’ve written ‘cookie’ in the recipe above it) in the UK, where I’m from, a biscuit is what you would term a cookie. A cookie, in the UK/Britain, is a chewier and softer ‘biscuit’ so yes, in the UK, we do indeed use both terms for slightly different things.
The cookie recipe, below, is however inspired by an American dish I’d seen countless times in film, TV and online– one that still baffles me to this day– and that is Sweet Potato/Yam casserole with marshmallow top. The idea of having that as a savoury dish with turkey etc.– well, as much as I’d be willing to try it and be proven wrong it also makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. However, though the savouriness of this dish I would question, I don’t think it’s a bad combination when it comes to sweets. The cookie is made using mashed sweet potato/yams and the marshmallow melted snowman was expertly made (no, I’m not being sarcastic, I swear– for those who may not be able to read sarcasm, I’m joking) with a fork and a blowtorch/grill.
Sweet Potato and Marshmallow Cookies
Ingredients:
COOKIES
- 100g Mashed Sweet Potato
- 100g Salted Butter
- 75g Caster Sugar
- 150g Plain Flour
- 1 1/2tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Orange, zested
- 50g White Chocolate Chips
- Pinch Salt
TOPPINGS
- Large Marshmallows
- Crispy Pretzels
- Tiny Milk or Dark Chocolate Chips
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 190 degrees C/Gas Mark 5.
- Cream your butter, sugar and potato until light and fluffy.
- Sieve over your flour, salt and cinnamon and fold together. Add a splash of milk if it looks too dry.
- Add your white chocolate chips and mix in thoroughly.
- Line two medium trays with baking paper or silicon mats.
- Spoon tbsps. of cookie dough onto your sheet, a few cm apart to allow room for them to spread.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and move onto a cold plate. Leave to cool until firm. Repeat until you have baked all of the mixture.
- Using a blow-torch, melt the bottom of a large marshmallow. Stick it to the top of a cookie and push it down with a fork and slightly spread it around the top of the cookie. You can also use a grill to do the same job but be careful as the marshmallow will burn very easily. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Break up your pretzels and place two ‘arms’ on the marshmallow. Use another smaller piece for the snowman’s nose. Dot two tiny chocolate chips for eyes on the face.
Lemon and Ginger Biscuits
Ingredients:
- 150g Brown Sugar
- 375g Plain Flour
- 1 Lemon, zested
- 2tsp Ginger Powder
- 1tsp Cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 150g Cold Salted Butter, in 2cm cubes
- 3tbsp Honey
- 1tbsp Black Treacle
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- 1 Medium Egg
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4.
- Put your sugar, plain flour, lemon zest, ginger, cinnamon and bicarb in a large bowl. Mix.
- Rub your butter into your dry ingredients using your fingertips. Stop when it resembles breadcrumbs and you can no longer find bits of butter.
- In another bowl whisk your egg, honey, lemon juice and black treacle.
- Make a well in your dry ingredients and pour your liquid in. Slowly bring in the sides with a fork and mix until you have a dough. Don’t over mix.
- Wrap your dough in cling-film and leave to set in the fridge for half-an-hour to an hour.
- On a floured surface, roll out your dough to 1cm thick. Cut out Christmas shapes with Christmas cookie cutters. Place your biscuits on a lined baking tray.
- Bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until a lovely brown colour and baked through.
- Leave to cool before moving to a wire rack.
- Decorate with coloured icing or just sprinkle over some icing sugar before serving.
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