These ‘brownie-like’ biscuits make such a pretty Christmas gift.
With their snowy appearance and hint of orange and spice, your family and friends will love these chocolate treats.
There are only 2 simple steps involved, melting the chocolate and flavourings and creaming the eggs and sugar. For the creaming part, you will need electric beaters to get the mixture as pale and thick as possible. Using a hand held whisk will simply not cut it.
These biscuits really do require a good quality dark chocolate such as 70% cocoa, as their base. But if you must, you could substitute it with milk chocolate. They will be lighter in colour and not quite as rich.
A batch of these have said thank you to my son’s teachers, who have patiently encouraged, inspired and believed in my boys this year.
I think another batch is in order soon, as my husband is complaining he didn’t get any and they just really do make the cutest gifts. Placed in a beautiful bowl or wrapped in cello bags, they will be a hit I promise.
Thanks to the Australian Women’s Weekly for another great recipe.
Happy Baking friends x
- 200 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa) chopped
- 40 grams unsalted butter, chopped
- 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- finely grated rind of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup icing sugar for rolling
- Place the chocolate, butter, spread, rind and spice in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until melted and combined. Set aside.
- Beat eggs, egg white and sugar in a small bowl with electric beaters for at least 5 minutes, or until very pale and thick. When you lift the beaters, the mixture should fall in ribbons.
- Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well combined.
- Gently fold in the sifted flour and cocoa powder.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius, 160 degrees for a fan-forced oven.
- Sift icing sugar into a large bowl.
- Using a dessert spoon of mixture, carefully form a ball with your hands and drop the ball into the icing sugar, tossing it around the icing sugar so it's coated thickly.
- Place on baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving room for them to spread.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until firm.
- Stand on trays for a couple of minutes, then cool on wire racks.
