May 11

May 11 Salty Peanut Biscuits

Don’t be tempted to sample these still warm from the oven, says cookbook author Wendy Morgan. They’re best eaten when cooled and crisp, so it’s worth being patient.

INGREDIENTS:
240g raw peanuts with skins on
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
240g butter, softened
240g brown sugar
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
330g self-raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan bake.
Place the peanuts in a small roasting dish and toss with the oil and salt. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring from time to time until they have turned dark golden-brown. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven once more to 180˚C fan bake.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the coffee and then mix in the flour and cinnamon until just combined. Lastly pour in the roasted peanuts, ensuring that you scrape in all the salt as well. Mix until the nuts are evenly spread throughout the mixture.
Using wet hands, form the dough into golf- ball-size balls. Place onto baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving a good space in between each ball, then use a fork dipped in water to press each one down to 1cm thick.
Bake for 12 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once the biscuits are cool, store in an airtight container.

Makes 30–35 biscuits.