For about 60 thinly sliced biscuits you need
A large baking tray lined with a sheet of baking paper
500ml self raising cake flour (if you don’t have self raising add 10ml baking powder)
Extra plain flour for shaping
250ml castor sugar
3ml salt
5ml ground cardamom
10ml ground cinnamon
10ml ground ginger
2ml ground All Spice
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
Zest of one orange (about 15ml)
10ml vanilla extract
250ml – 350ml coarsely chopped nuts. If you are using hazelnuts or almonds, leave them whole
To prepare
Heat oven to 180°C
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine baking powder, flour, sugar, salt and the dry spices.
In a bowl, beat eggs, yolk and vanilla
Add to dry ingredients; mix on medium low until sticky dough is formed. Do not over beat.
Stir in pecans and zest.
The dough will be quite wet and sticky. Don’t despair as you can add plenty of flour to the surface.
Turn dough out onto well-floured board; sprinkle with flour, and knead slightly. Shape into 20cm by 5cm by 15mm thick logs or to fit your baking tray, but don’t go wider than 5cm.
Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown
Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking tray
Once cool, place on a cutting board, cut logs on diagonal into 1 cm slices.
Turn the oven down to 120°C
Return pieces cut side down to baking sheet.
Bake until lightly toasted, about 30 minutes, until dry and crisp.
Cool on wire rack.
Store in airtight container.
