Mary’s Cadogan’s crisp citrus cookies make perfect decorations – just stamp them with the celebration motif of your choice
Prep:30 mins – 40 mins
Makes 25
6 cardamom pods200g plain flour50g rice flour140g buttergrated zest 1 orange100g icing sugar, plus extra to decorate1 egg yolk
STEP 1Split the cardamom pods and tip the seeds into a mortar, then grind to a powder with the pestle. Tip the flour, rice flour and cardamom powder into a food processor. Chop the butter into small pieces and add to the food processor with the orange zest. Pulse to a fine breadcrumb texture. Add the icing sugar and mix briefly, then add the egg yolk and 1-2 tsp cold water and pulse to a firm dough. Wrap and chill for 15 mins.STEP 2Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out half the dough at a time and stamp out 8cm rounds or squares and transfer to the baking sheets. Gather up the trimmings and roll out again to make more biscuits. Use a cocktail stick to make a hole in each biscuit for hanging from the tree. Press a festive rubber stamp into the surface of each biscuit. Chill for 30 mins.STEP 3Bake for 8-10 mins until just golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.STEP 4Dust each biscuit liberally with icing sugar, then brush off the excess from the surface, leaving a white imprint on each biscuit. Tie up with pretty ribbon or string and hang from your tree.
