Easter spiced currant biscuits

After all that chocolate, I thought I would bake something fruity and traditional. What better than a lovely buttery currant biscuit, not too sweet, not too spicy.

Currant biscuits are a traditional English Easter treat, but  they are frankly great at any time of year. Biscuit baking is much more forgiving than cake baking and  is something I should do more of.

These bakes expand only slightly whilst baking and store well in an airtight tin, they would also make a fab gift in a pretty basket or box for any celebration.

What you need

• 300g plain flour (gluten free works ok, just watch the texture)
• 150g icing sugar
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 175g butter, cold and diced
• 1 egg - beaten and mixed with 1tbsp of water
• 125g currants
• 1 egg white
• caster sugar for sprinkling

Prepare a couple of baking trays - lightly brushed at oil

You will also need a 6cm ish cookie cutter

What you do

• In a food processor whizz the flour, icing sugar, spice and diced butter until the texture of fine breadcrumbs, a mixer or even by hand would work too
• Add the egg/water mixture to the processor and mix until it clumps.
• On a floured surface turn out the mixture, pull the mixture together and knead in the currants
• Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or so
• Pre heat the oven to 160c 
• Flour the worksurface again and roll out the chilled dough to approximately 4mm thick, cut out round and place on to the prepared trays, keep rolling out until all the dough is used up.
• Brush with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with a little caster sugar before baking for 10 - 15 minutes until lightly golden and sparkling.
• Remove carefully from the trays to a wire rack to cool fully.