Cinnamon & Spice Biscuits

Subtitled: "Teddies in white trousers"

With Christmas just around the corner 'tis the time to be a-baking, tralalla, trallalla and all that.

These delightful looking (and tasting) bikkies are easy to make and good therapy to bake after a long day at the office. With the waft of spices through the house it will lift the most jaded to renewed optimism. My dear husband was offered 2 teddies and he gave the seal of approval, saying: "Don't change anything about this recipe! These are good. Would sell well at markets." Somehow I doubt teddies will get that far, as they are marching straight into the mouth here at home....

Ingredients:
150g unsalted butter
100g dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon honey
2 and a half cups plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
half a tsp ground cinnamon ("Alba" is best if you can get it. In gourmet shops)
icing sugar, to dust

Now the easy part:
Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
1) Beat the softened to room temperature unsalted butter and sugar with a large wooden spoon until creamy (about 2 - 3 minutes).
2) Add the egg and honey and beat with wooden spoon to combine smoothly (another minute)
3) Sift over flour and spices, first stirring with wooden spoon and then kneading by hand to form a malleable dough. If still too sloppy add more flour. It needs to feel buttery in your hand, nontheless firm.
4) Put some cling wrap around the ball of dough and pop in fridge for 10 minutes. You want it a little firmer, but not hard.
5) Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.
6) Take dough out of fridge and with your rolling pin (I use a wooden one) roll it to about 8mm thickness.
7) Take a teddy shaped cutter (or whatever your favorite is) and cut out biscuits, sliding a knife underneath them to ease onto the baking tray, about 5mm apart. Pop little currants on for eyes and mouth.
8) Bake for 10 minutes (use timer) until golden on top.
9) Cool on wire rack. While still warm clothe teddies gently with icing sugar dusted through a sieve. They look so cute in their white trousers.

Supposedly they keep well. I guess that means in homes where people don't eat freshly baked yummies.