Ingredients
- <ul> <li>Makes about 12 sandwiches</li> <li>75g (3 oz) shelled hazelnuts</li> <li>150g (5 oz) flour</li> <li>Pinch salt</li> <li>110g (4 oz) butter</li> <li>5 rounded tbsp fine sugar</li> <li>3-4 tbsp thick honey</li> <li>A little icing sugar</li> </ul>
This is a delicious little cake-like biscuit made with two traditional foods used in Irish cooking, hazelnuts and honey. Put the shelled hazelnuts on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C/375 degrees F/gas 5 for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub the skins off and put the nuts through a mill, or blend them using a mini-blender. Sift the flour and salt together. Cream the butter and sugar until light, and add the nuts and the flour mixture, then mix until well blended. Knead lightly, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut into five centimetre (two inch) rounds. Line a baking tray with rice or parchment paper and put the rounds on. Bake at 190 degrees C/375 degrees F/gas 5 for seven to 10 minutes, not longer, or the nuts will have a bitter taste. Take from the oven before the biscuits colour. Sandwich together in pairs with a little thick honey between and the icing sugar sprinkled on top.
