Some of my most vivid memories of my childhood are spending Christmas in Gunbower with my Nana and Pop. Each Christmas Eve Santa would drive around Gunbower’s streets in the town’s fire engine. All the children would run out to the street when they heard the fire engine coming and try to catch the lollies that Santa threw from the truck. Then scurry around mopping up those that had fallen to the ground.

While children in the northern hemisphere put out milk for Santa, he always requested beer from my brother and I. But as tradition dictates there were always biscuits on the side (with the occasional rum ball) and a carrot for the reindeers (who only ever took a nibble).

This one comes from a little newspaper cutting in one of Nana’s books. Santa will love these biscuits. They are light, and somehow soft and crunchy at the same time. Cooking them fills the house with the scent of Christmas spices.

You will need:

• 185g butter or substitute
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cinnamon Spice Sugar

• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Do this:
Beat butter and sugar until soft and creamy, add egg, beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients; mix well. Cover bowl, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Take teaspoons of mixture, roll in balls then roll well in prepared Cinnamon Spice Sugar.  Place onto greased (or baking paper lined) oven trays; allow a little room for spreading (although mine didn’t spread too much). With back of fork, press out into an oval shape. Bake in moderate oven for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack.
Makes about 42 biscuits.

Love Kath and Kate xx