Yes. The Christmas tree is finally up.

Single-handedly removed from the garage and assembled with love and care, on Friday evening. It seemed only fitting that I bake some items that I could decorate it with. Despite my ‘old age’ there is still something, magical, enchanting, mesmerising about Christmas trees for me. Not the ones in shops and offices but thoses one in the home. If I am walking down a street I will look at every tree that is on display (yes, it does slow done my journey somewhat!). I guess a Christmas tree for me is a proxy for childhood winter evenings tucked away at home, safe and sound and protected from the horrors of the real world. I used to spend hours as a child starring at the lights of the tree. When I was a little older, I would creep into the living room when everybody was asleep and sit on the sofa nearest the tree and read my latest book by the fairy lights. There was something ever so…, I am not sure I even know what the word is, but it was and still is an experience I cherish. This evening I am typing this blog post in my living room with only the light of the tree in the flat and some Christmas radio playlist humming along in the background. Yes, it is nice. Maybe it’s called Hygge.

Ingredients

220g plain flour
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon milk
150g butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, spices, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the brown sugar and break up any lumps with your hands. Add the milk and butter, then use your hands to bring the mixture together as dough. Rest the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 5mm thickness.
4. Cut out the biscuits using a circular cutter or any other shaped desired. To hang them on the tree once they are made, use a piping noble tip that has a 3 – 4mm opening, and cut a hole at one end of each biscuit. These holes will be used to thread ribbon through once baked and cooled.
5. Place the biscuits on the lined baking tray with at least a 2 – 3 cm gap between them. Bake them for 15 -18 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to touch. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
6. Thread the pre-cut ribbons or strings through the holes in the biscuits and tie the ends together. Hang the biscuits on your Christmas tree to decorate.