DIY gift ideas: Honey Xmas biscuits

This no-fail recipe using New Zealand honey makes around 50 biscuits. You can wrap bundles in a new tea towel or a decorated Mason jar.

Ingredients

• 150g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup NZ honey (creamy, not liquid)
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger, sifted
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
• 3 cups plain flour, sifted

Icing

• 1 egg white
• 1 1/4 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

Step 1 Place butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Transfer to a large, heatproof bowl. Cool. Stir in egg and dry ingredients until evenly mixed. Divide dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour.

Step 2 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease 3 baking trays and line with baking paper. Roll out dough to 3mm thick, cut out shapes and place on trays. Bake one tray at a time for 8 minutes or until firm to touch. Stand on trays for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Step 3 For the icing, beat egg white with a fork until foamy. Slowly beat in icing sugar until combined. Stir in lemon juice, and use to decorate.

Cost: Less than $5 per bundle, including Mason jars or tea towels.