Public Servant Lifestyle

For a light and tasty biscuit that's easy to do, these honey cookies with a scrumptious nutty filling just can't be beaten.

You will need: 1 cup butter
¾ cup caster sugar
¾ cup maize or peanut oil
1 orange, grated rind only
6 cups plain flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cups orange juice
Nut filling
1 tbsp honey
2 teaspoon orange juice
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups finely chopped walnuts
2 drops almond essence
Honey syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
½ cinnamon stick
1½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 thin strip of lemon rind
¼ cup honey

The Method

Set oven temperature to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar with the orange rind until creamy. Gradually add oil and continue beating until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Stir in the flour alternately with orange juice. Knead this dough lightly with your hands for 1 minute. Take a scant tablespoon of dough and flatten it a little. Place a teaspoon of the nut filling in the centre and fold the dough over to enclose the filling. Shape this into ovals, pinching the ends to a point. Decorate the tops with tines of a fork,or leave them plain.

Place them on lightly greased baking trays and bake in a moderate oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool the trays on wire racks. Dip them in boiling syrup, four at a time, turning the cookies once. Leave in the syrup for about 10 seconds in all, longer if well-soaked cookies are your preference. Lift them out onto a plate and leave them until cool. (If no nut filling is used, sprinkle tops with crushed walnuts or toasted sesame seeds and cinnamon. Only those that are to be served should be dipped; store the remainder in an airtight container and dip when required.

To make the nut filling, thin the honey down with orange juice and blend into the remaining ingredients. To make the honey syrup place the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and stir over heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil over moderately high heat for 10 minutes and skim. Let the syrup boil on a moderate heat while dipping the cookies. Add a little water to the syrup when it thickens too much during dipping.

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