Honey jumbles
The stuff of childhood nostalgia, these honey jumbles are such a favourite in my house. And they’re a simple melt-and-mix recipe, so are a good opportunity to get the kids involved in baking. I’ve topped these with orange-flavoured icing, but you could stay with the classic option and do half pink and half white (in which case, just omit the orange juice and zest and use a little lemon juice for the white icing and a tiny drop of pink food colouring for the pink).
Ingredients
- ¼ cup 65 g unsalted butter
- ½ cup 175 g honey
- ¼ cup 45 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups 225 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
- A pinch of ground cloves
- 1 Tbsp milk
- ORANGE ICING
- 1 egg white
- 1½ cups 185 g icing (confectioners’) sugar
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange see Note
Instructions
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange (see Note)
- Combine the butter, honey, brown sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring, for a few minutes or until the mixture has melted into a thick caramel.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
- Pour in the butter mixture and milk and stir until well combined.
- Cover the dough and pop it into the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Divide the dough into four pieces.
- Roll out one piece into a 15 cm (6 inch) long sausage on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the sausage into three pieces and flatten each into an oval shape.
- Place on the tray, leaving room for spreading.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake the biscuits for 8–10 minutes or until they have puffed up a little and are dry to the touch.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- For the icing, whisk the egg white in a small bowl until foamy.
- Sift in the icing sugar, then add the orange zest and juice, a little at a time, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of icing onto each biscuit and gently spread to cover.
- Store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes & Wine Advice
If available, use a blood orange to make the icing – it will add colour and some extra tang.