Midnight Biscuits

edit: I did have the quantities right! So-named because I don't think I've ever made these before about 10pm :o) The recipe was originally called the more boring "Cinnamon Snaps" and came from "Quick and Easy Biscuits" by Valerie Eames. These bicuits also work with cocoa or ground ginger and probably many other spices. I would like to point out that, even for this ginger lover, an entire teaspoon of ginger does make the mouth a tad warm! The lack of eggs in this recipe also means that you can eat the raw dough without worrying about salmonella - although my usual theory is that I grew up licking the beaters clean of raw cake dough and it hasn't killed me yet so I'll probably be okay.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 30 biscuits

Ingredients

• 2  ounces butter
• 2  ounces caster sugar
• 2  ounces plain flour
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  caster sugar, to dredge

Directions

1. Put sugar and butter in a bowl and cream until light and fluffy (or until your arm really aches if having the food mixer on will wake the whole house!).
2. Sift the flour and cinnamon into the bowl and mix to form a smooth dough.
3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8in (3mm) thick.
4. Cut out rounds using a 2in cutter and place on a greased baking sheet.
5. Knead and reroll trimmings until you have no more dough left.
6. Dredge the biscuits with caster sugar and bake at gas mark 4/180degC/350degF for 8-9 minutes until just firm to the touch. These biscuits do harden up as they cool - if you leave them to cook until they feel cooked enough you will end up with something which sounds just like a ceramic tile when you tap it against the worktop!
7. Leave to stand for a minute or two and then transfer to wire racks to cool.