Honey and spice biscuits recipe

These crunchy, buttery biscuits with a cool iced-filling are easy to make and look so impressive.

Ingredients

• 60g (2oz) butter
• 3 level tbsp honey
• 250g (8oz) plain flour
• ½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 60g (2oz) caster sugar
• 1 medium egg, beaten

For the filling:

• 250g (8oz) royal icing mix
• Grated rind of 1 lemon and 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons glycerine

Method

1. Set the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4.
2. Melt the butter and honey in a pan. Sift together flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice, and add to warmed mixture. Stir in the sugar and egg and mix well.
3. Knead mixture lightly until it's no longer sticky. Roll out thinly on a floured surface and cut out flower shapes, using the cutter, and pattern the surface with the prongs of a fork.
4. Place on to buttered baking sheets and bake just above the centre of the oven for 12-15 mins. Cool slightly before transferring them to wire racks. (The biscuits firm up as they cool.)
5. To make the filling: Beat together the royal icing mix, lemon rind and juice, and glycerine, for about 5-6 mins.
6. Spoon one teaspoon of filling on to a biscuit and spread out to the edges. Place another biscuit on top. Repeat for the remaining biscuits. Leave to set.