Adding a Touch of Warmth

I don’t know if you have noticed but those warming cups of tea or mugs of coffee just are not staying as warm as they used to stay. The temperatures have dropped, and Winter definitely has arrived, so I suppose those hot drinks staying warm for longer is a tad more difficult.

The time has arrived to make some mug warmers. Perhaps there is even a need to have a little pouch in each to keep the hands warm. This will require getting out the crochet hooks.

Then again, a biscuit with a little kick of heat might be more in order. Perhaps flavoured with ginger, chilli, cinnamon or chocolate? Now as I cannot eat chocolate, chilli I prefer with beef or at least in a savoury dish, ginger can be a tad overpowering but together with cinnamon there is that little bit of magic.

Sitting in a comfy chair, snuggled under a warm blanket, a really good book all that is then required is a warming cuppa and a dunking biscuit or a nibbly biscuit. Over the years the wraps or blankets have been accumulated as have the mugs to wrap the hands around especially during these cold winter nights but it is time to make a few of those nibbly biscuits and change the flavours.

Time to spend an evening in the kitchen experimenting with flavours. My favourite occupation. .After a little testing the following is a basic biscuit recipe ideal for nibbling or dunking.

Ginger and Spice Biscuit

50g Margarine

25g Caster Sugar

1 tablespoon Golden Syrup

100g Plain Flour

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 180C Gas 4.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the margarine, sugar and golden syrup slowly in a saucepan over a gentle heat.

Meanwhile sift the flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon into a bowl.

Stir in the the melted syrup and sugar. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Place walnut size sponfuls shaped into balls on to the baking sheet. Make sure to leave space between each as they will spread during baking.

Bake for 15min and remove immdeiately. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with a hot warming drink..

Biscuits with mixed spice.

Mixed spice can be used instead of ginger and cinnamon. They biscuits will turn out much darker.

These biscuits are lovely without the spices but the grated zest of a lemon added to the dry ingredients.