Pfeffernüsse

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
200g brown sugar
60g butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of white pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 egg, beaten (extra)
150g dark chocolate
silver cachous

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees and line two baking trays with non-stick paper.
2. Combine all ingredients and blend until well blended (mixture will appear crumbly).
3. Add half of extra beaten egg, then knead the mixture with your hands until it holds together (use more beaten egg if necessary).
4. Shape dough into a ball.
5. Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on baking trays (approx. 2.5 cm apart).
6. Bake for 7 minutes, or until cracks appear on the surface and tops are pale brown.
7. Cool on wire racks.
8. Melt dark chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
9. Dip pfeffernüsse into melted chocolate and place on baking paper to set. Decorate will silver cachous, if desired.

Strawberry Jam Friands

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 cup almond meal
4 eggwhites
180g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
strawberry jam

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup patty pan tin.
2. Combine flour, icing sugar and almond meal in a large bowl.
3. Add the eggwhites, butter and vanilla; mix to combine.
4. Spoon approx. 1-2 tablespoons of mixture into patty pan tin.
5. Drop 1/2 spoonfuls of jam into the centre of each friand.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until dark golden around the edges and firm on top.
7. Cool in tin. To serve, dust with icing sugar.

Adapted from "Apricot jam drop friands" in Donna Hay Magazine, 35, Oct/Nov 2007. p. 92.

Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
225g self-raising flour
juice and finely chopped zest of 1 orange
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice, extra
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees and prepare 12 cupcake cases.
2. Combine the butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, orange juice and zest and beat together until creamy.
3. Spoon the mixture evenly into 12 cupcake cases.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Mix together the icing sugar, orange juice and lemon juice.
7. Spoon the icing over the cakes and spread evenly to the edges with a knife.

Adapted from "Afternoon tea orange cake" in Stephanie Alexander. (1996). The cook's companion. Ringwood, Vic.: Penguin Books Australia.

Almond Burnt Butter Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almonds, chopped

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line 2 baking trays with non-stick paper.
2. Melt the butter over low heat and continue to cook until light brown; cool slightly.
3. Beat the sugar with the melted butter, then stir in the egg and vanilla.
4. Fold in the flours and salt.
5. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on baking trays.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until pale golden.

Cherry Choc-Chip Biscuits

Follow the Choc-Chip Biscuits recipe, omitting the vanilla and substituting 1/4 cup of the chopped dark chocolate with a 55g Cherry Ripe bar, finely chopped.

Choc-Chip Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped*

*For Orange Choc-Chip or Caramel Choc-Chip Biscuits, omit the vanilla and use "Intense Orange" or "Crunchy Caramel" Lindt Excellence chocolate instead of plain chocolate.

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and line 2 baking trays with non-stick paper.
2. Cream the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar until creamy; add vanilla essence.
3. Beat in the egg until well combined.
4. Mix in the flour and salt until the mixture forms a dough.
5. Add the chocolate, a little at a time, until it is evenly spread throughout the dough.
6. Place tablespoons of the dough on to baking trays, 2cm apart.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly brown; cool on wire racks.

Adapted from "Chocolate Chip Cookies" in Gabriel Gate. (2006). The chocolate lovers: a children's story and cookbook. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin.

Jam Drops

Ingredients:
180g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 egg
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
raspberry jam

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line 2 baking trays with non-stick paper.
2. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy.
3. Add the egg and beat well.
4. Stir in the flour and baking powder; mix to form a dough.
5. Roll heaped tablespoons into balls and place on baking trays, leaving 2 inches between each biscuit to allow for spreading.
6. Using the end of a wooden spoon, press deep dents into each ball of dough (you may need to dip the end of the spoon into some flour to stop it from sticking to the dough).
7. Fill each indent with a 1/4 teaspoon of jam.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden.

Adapted from "Spoon-dent biscuits with lemon curd" in Donna Hay Magazine, 33, June/July 2007. p. 144.