These are the kind of biscuits that you want on the first day of Eid, with that first sip of coffee. They take you to a dreamy place. The saffron and cinnamon come through so well and their strength is complemented by the smooth dark chocolate. The almonds add the perfect crunch that resembles that of the biscuit itself. If you’re anything like me, you’re in it for the crunch, that then melts in your mouth.

Another back to basics recipe that’s been amped up with but this time with the warmth of the spices, the dark chocolate and toasted almond crown.

They can be made a couple of days ahead if stored in an airtight container & make perfect gifts too.

Notes:

-Like the Cardamom biscuits, the dough for these biscuits is quite dry and short which is what leads it to be super crunchy and light. So don’t be worried if you think it’s a little too dry.

-They can be made a couple of days ahead if stored in an airtight container & make perfect gifts too.

Makes: 12/ Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

100g Butter at room temp. (or a non dairy alternative)
50g Sugar (I used unrefined)
150g Plain Flour
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Saffron (a small pinch)
1 tsp Ground Cardamom
pinch Salt
75g Dark Chocolate
50g Flaked Almonds

Method:

Bloom the saffron in about 1tsp warm water, and leave until the water is a bright orange/yellow
In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter & sugar with a wooden spoon until soft & pale
Add the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron mixture & salt, and mix together until the dough is crumbly
Press the dough together with your hands, pour it onto a surface, and form it into a disk, it will seem quite dry
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes
After removing the dough from fridge, preheat the oven at 180°C Fan/200°C/Gas Mark 6
Lightly flour a surface, and begin to roll out your dough (if your dough feels too dry and crumbly to roll, wet your hands slightly and bring the dough together. The dough is quite short anyway, but that’s what will make the biscuits crunchy
Roll the dough out to about 0.5cm (I recommend turning it 90 degrees after every 2 or 3 rolls, so it doesn’t get stuck to the surface & so it rolls out evenly)
Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter/ rim of a small cup (I used one about 6cm in diameter, and press the leftover dough back together and repeat the process
Place the biscuit rounds on a lined baking tray and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown
Let the biscuits cool for 5-10 mins, then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling, whilst you prepare the chocolate & almonds
Toast the almonds in a dry pan, on a medium heat, until slightly golden, this should take about 5-10 mins, then transfer onto a plate to cool
Melt the chocolate at 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth
Once they have cooled, dip the biscuits into the melted chocolate, covering half of each, then give them a little shake to remove any excess chocolate & place on a piece of baking parchment
Sprinkle with the cooled almonds & leave to set