Nigellas Christmas Decorations
for the biscuits:
300g plain flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed ground spice
1-2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper (I used none one year and 1 teaspoon the year after that -it was nice but dd1 didnt like it - Enid)
100g unsalted butter
100g dark muscavado sugar
2 large eggs beaten with 4 tablespoons runny honey
Set of Christmas cutters (I use an angel and a star - Enid)
2 baking sheets, lined or non-stick
for the icing and trimmings:
300g icing sugar, sieved
3 tablespoons boiling water
gold or silver balls or sprinkles
ribbon for hanging
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, mixed spice and pepper in the processor. With the motor on add the butter and sugar, then, slowly, the eggs and the honey, though don't use all of this liquid if the pastry has come together before its used up. Form two discs and put one, covered in clingfilm or in a freezer bag, into the fridge while you get started on the other. Preheat oven to 170C/gas mark 3.
Dust a surface with flour, roll out the disc, also floured, to about 5mm and cut out your Christmas decorations. Re-roll and cut some more, setting aside the residue from this first disc, well covered, while you get on with rolling the second.When you've got both sets of leftover dough, roll out and cut again and keep doing so till all the dough is used up. Now take a small icing nozzle and use the pointy end to cut out a hole just below the top of each biscuit (to thread your ribbon).
Arrange on the baking sheets and cook for about 20 minutes: its hard to see when they're cooked, but you can feel; if the underside is no longer doughy, they are ready.
Transfer them to cool on a wire rack. Make up ordinary glace icing by mixing approx. 3 tablespoons of boiling water with the sieved icing sugar and stir until you've got a thin, glossy glaze. Ice the cold decorations using a teaspoon (the tip for dripping, the back for smoothing) and scatter sparkles or sprinkles as you like.