biscuits from Belgium

I have never made belgian biscuits before, having had an aversion to jam for much of my life. I can still recall the crushing disappointment as a child upon discovering a birthday cake - clearly not mine - had been sandwiched together with jam or even worse, had a layer of it sneakily tucked under the chocolate icing. I would have to carefully pick around the jam, forfeit the icing or else abandon the cake altogether if it appeared to be too contaminated.

So perhaps that is why belgian biscuits passed me by? I have to some extent overcome my dislike of jam, although I still think the best place for it is on a freshly baked scone or pikelet and sitting beside some whipped cream. I would never eat it on toast. However after trying my first ever belgian biscuit I may be a convert to other applications for it.

My belgian biscuits were inspired by Libby, who made some using the Ladies, A Plate recipe and suggested I tried Edmonds but with the addition of some cocoa for colour. They were actually surprisingly quick to make, considering they do look rather impressive and fiddly, as I think does any baked good that requires 'sandwiching together'. I loved their pretty pink tops.

Belgian Biscuits

125g butter, softened
1/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cocoa (not in Edmonds recipe)

to fill and ice -

1/2 c icing sugar
few drops of raspberry essence and red food colouring
enough hot water to make a spreadable icing
pink jelly crystals or other sprinkles
raspberry jam

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until it forms a firm dough.

Roll dough out (I always do this between 2 sheets of gladwrap, to save having to flour the bench and dry out the dough too much...) and use a cookie cutter to stamp out rounds. Bake at 180c for about 15 minutes.

Cool, sandwich together with a little jam, top with a spoonful of icing and sprinkle with the jelly crystals or other sprinkles that take your fancy.