100 ml organic or farm butter, softened
100 ml unrefined brown sugar
½ cup (125 ml) organic milk, milk alternative or purified water
¾ cup (200 ml) ground almonds
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 tsp (10 ml) finely grated organic lemon rind
1 cup (250 ml) buckwheat flour
1 cup (250 ml) chickpea flour
1 cup (250 ml) rice flour
1 tsp (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
1½ tbsp (22 ml) ground cinnamon
1½ tsp (7 ml) ground cloves
2 tsp (10 ml) ground nutmeg
2 tsp (10 ml) ground allspice (optional)
2 tsp (10 ml) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 ml) unrefined salt
1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Beat the butter and sugar with a hand blender.
3. Gradually beat in the milk, mix well.
4. Add the almonds, vanilla and lemon rind.
5. Sift the remaining dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix well. The dough must be pliable.
6. Roll little balls, put on greased baking tray and press flat. Alternatively, roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper to 3mm thickness, remove top sheet and then cut out desired biscuit shapes with cookie cutter.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes on a greased baking tray.
8. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note: For an intense spicy flavour, use non-irradiated fresh spices.
Variation: Wheat-free: replace the rice flour with oat or barley flour.
Recipe Courtesy Heidi du Preez
