Spicy Spiral Cookies by Right Brain Joanna
These cookies go well with a cup of hot tea on a wintery day.
375F/190C
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
6oz /170g room temperature unsalted butter
1c/215g packed dark-brown sugar
1 egg
2c/260g all-purpose flour plus a bit extra for handling and rolling
1 tsp cinnamon or mace
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of allspice
1/2 tsp baking soda
Interlay
1/2c/45g currants
Brandy
1 egg white mixed with 1 tbsp/15mL water to form a “glue’
1/2c/60g slivered, blanched almonds
Method
- Place the currants in a small saucepan, and just cover with brandy. Bring almost to the boil, remove from heat and leave the currants to plump up.
- Cream the butter and sugar and beat in the egg.
- Sift the dry ingredients together and stir into the butter mixture.
- Divide the dough into two and pat each half into a flat small rectangle. Rest in the fridge for about half an hour.
- Roll out the rectangles one at a time to 8×12 inches/20x30cm. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle half the sugar, currants and nuts over each rectangle. Roll each section from the long side, making a nice tight roll.
- Cut into 1/2in/2cm thick slices and bake for 12-14 minutes*
Tips:
Don’t be afraid to go a little wild! Change up the spiral of these goodies. Try coarsely chopped dried cherries, apricots, raisins or cranberries – and the nuts could be pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans. To make a more distinctive-looking stripe, try spreading a thin smear of thick jam on the dough (replacing the egg white) before adding the interlay of fruit and nuts, but do leave a line of plain cookie dough on one long end before rolling. The uncoated dough should keep the jam inside the cookies as they bake.
These cookies, just as Marilyn’s can be packaged up and frozen for later use. Just thaw until just soft enough to handle, cut and bake for a slightly longer time since they will be cold when they go into the oven.
