Delicious patisserie chocolate biscuits

Who says you need to go to a patisserie for the finest biscuits or pastries?

There are many things you can make in your own home without too much difficulty. Anything can be learned with patience and practice.

Those lovely and cute little biscuits you often see in patisserie windows (very popular in Italy too) can actually be made easily and successfully at home.

They are delicate, fragrant and crumbly biscuits which makes them ideal  for a refined afternoon tea or coffee.

To achieve their soft consistency the butter is whipped energetically (easier if you use an electric mixer) with icing sugar until is very soft and creamy; then all the other ingredients are added. As the consistency is very soft and wet you will need a piping bag in order to shape them.

You can decorate them as you like. They are irresistible dipped in chocolate.. of course, that will always be most people’s first choice.

Happy baking!

• Prep Time : 25 minutes
• Cook Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients

• self raising flour – 220 g
• egg – 1
• icing sugar – 80 g
• butter – 150 g
• vanilla essence – 1 tbsp
• lemon zest – of 1 lemon
• salt – a pinch
• To decorate:
• milk or dark chocolate – 80 g
• glace’ cherries
• nuts (almonds and pistachios)
• freezed dried raspberries – (optional)

Instructions

With an electric mixer (or by hand if you prefer) whip the butter with the icing sugar for a few minutes. Add the vanilla essence, the egg and the lemon zest and continue mixing.

Add the sifted flour and the salt and combine the ingredients well. You should have a mixture without lumps, very smooth and soft. If you find that it is on a dry side add some milk. Preheat the oven at 160 C.

Line your baking tray with baking paper (or with a silicone sheet). With the help of a piping bag form the biscuits.

You can make all the shapes you like: S shape, horseshoe, round shape or just little roses. Anything you fancy.

Decorate your biscuits with the cherries and the whole nuts. Bake for about 15 minutes. They should not colour too much. Make sure you don’t overcook them.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool down. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a sauce pan of simmering water then partially dip the biscuits into the chocolate. Sprinkle them with the chopped nuts (I love the colour of pistachios). I have sprinkled them with freezed dried raspberries I had in the cupboard for a touch of girlie colour.

And now you are ready for a really posh afternoon tea or coffee. A good excuse to have friends around and show off your creations.

We are need some kind of gratification from time to time. I do!

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