Mandelspritzgebäck (German Almond Christmas Biscuits)

Ingredients:

265g unsalted butter, softened
250g sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
160g ground almonds
3 drops bitter almond oil (or extract)
500g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat until thoroughly combined, then add the egg yolk and beat this in too.

Add the ground almonds along with the bitter almond extract.

Sift together the flour and baking powder then add, a little at a time, to the egg mix. Beat well to combine, until you end up with an elastic dough (it will not be smooth).

Stuff the dough either into a meat grinder with a star nozzle (as it's done in Germany) or into a biscuit press fitted with a star nozzle.

Press out the dough into sausages about 6cm long. Form the dough into 'S' shapes (see picture) or horseshoes then carefully transfer to greased baking trays.

Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through but only very lightly coloured.

Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, either store or eat.

As a variation you can coat one half of the biscuit with chocolate and you can even sprinkle cake decorations on the chocolate half.

Find more Christmas Recipes Here