Another Maltese biscuit recipe, this one in particular is my Great Aunt Maria's. It's a typical Maltese sweet since it features cloves, lemon and orange zest – they crop up a lot in desserts.These are more commonly known as Qaghaq Tal-Gulglien (Sesame Rings), as they traditionally baked in a ring shape, but to honor my aunt, I've made them in a twist like she used to (I find them easier to dunk this way too!).
Qaghaq Tal-Zija Maria (Sesame biscuits)
Recipe makes about 2 dozen
210g self raising flour
340g plain flour
1 tsp ground cloves
110g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons sesame seeds, plus extra for decorating
200g unsalted butter
2-3 medium eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
2. Mix together all dry ingredients.
3. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
4. Beat in 2 eggs, if mixture is still a little dry, beat in the third, once mixed through it should resemble a doughy cookie mix.
5. On a floured surface, take roughly a small egg sized portion of mixture and roll out into a thin sausage.
6. Fold the 'sausage' in half and twist the ends to form a loose plait.
7. Lay finished biscuits on a tray covered in grease proof paper, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds, lightly patting them into the biscuits.
8. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. When done allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
3 comments:
nom nom nom nom
They look/sound tasty...and a bit Xmassy?? :) Step by step pics are always a good idea too!
I guess with the clove they can be. They're usually served with tea the same way digestives are in the uk. :)
The Xmas idea got me thinking though, maybe the inclusion of ginger and some rum would be an idea?
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