Nancy’s Spiced Christmas Shortbreads

Blitz the nuts and spice in a food processor until you have a fairly fine crumb. Do not over do it or else the nuts will turn pasty and glue like.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – this can be done with a hand held whisk or simply a wooden spoon. Work in the flour and semolina and then add the nut crumb.  Bring the mixture together into a ball with the hands.  The dough should be quite dry and then your biscuits will not spread in the oven.  If however you find it really difficult to knead into a ball then add a couple of tablespoons of milk to bind.

Between two sheets of plastic (freezer bags are fine for this – cut to two single sheets) – roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin then slide onto a baking sheet and chill for half an hour.

Take from the fridge, peel one sheet of the plastic away then cut out the shapes.

Place the biscuits onto the already chilled baking sheet which has been either lightly greased or lined with baking parchment.

Chill the cut out biscuits until the oven has reached its temperature – 150 degrees c then bake them for 25-30 minutes until pale coloured.

Allow to cool on the tray then carefully remove onto a cooling rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Store either in a tin or parcel up into little airtight gift bags. These shortbreads will keep easily for two weeks.