Sunday, August 12, 2007

Lime, clove and macadamia biscuits

It is a lovely feeling to be able to post here again after nearly two months – I think that is about that long. I had problems with my laptop initially – drowned its keyboard in red wine in a moment of excitement; it eventually stopped working properly; went away on a business trip which was meant to be for only 2 weeks and ended up being for nearly a whole month; came back and still had no laptop for about two more weeks. Paid many visits to different laptop shops and for quite some time gave up on my purchase after being confronted by very unhelpful shopkeepers.

Enough of complaining, here I am back. It feels great to post again, and this time a lovely, simple recipe. Ideal for an afternoon tea. A biscuit recipe.

The ingredients were the reason why I chose it: lime, cloves and macadamia nuts. How unususual!! I love limes. They are plentiful and cheap back home in Brasil. In the UK where I live they can be easily found in the region where I live but they are far from being cheap. However, I never go one week without buying some. Their flavour is equal to none. Sharper than the yellow variety.There was a time in my childhood when I enjoyed sucking them. I remember pretending that they were like a nectar to me - go figure!!

Then there comes cloves. I am a bit fascinated by cloves. I remember this nanny that my brother had who used to chew cloves for a few minutes before going out. It would give her a lovely breath.Fresh. Over the last few years I have developed the habit of having a clove-chewing session every so often. Just for the sake of the taste. I then discard it.

In this recipe by Peter Gordon, a new zealander chef who lives in the UK, the limes and cloves come together in this lovey,little recipe. Plus the macadamia. I could not resist it. The page where the recipe is printed on was ear-marked for quite some time and this morning these biscuits finally came to life. In addition to the loveliness of flavours, which go very well together, not in an overpowering way at all, there is also the fact that these biscuits melt in one’s mouth. After being taken from the oven they have to be handled with care when time comes to transferring them to a cooling rack. I didn’t know that and ended up sweeping the kitchen floor which got covered in biscuit crumbs.

Lime, clove and macadamia biscuits

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature

80g icing sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

1 teaspoon freshly ground cloves

150g flour

130g cornflour

½ teaspoon baking powder

150g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Pre-heat oven to 170oC ( 150oC fan assisted oven). Line a baking tray with baking paper and set it aside.

Cream butter, icing sugar, zest of lime and cloves until pale. Sift flours and baking powder and mix into butter, then stir in nuts. Divide mixture into 24 balls and place them on the baking tray leaving a lot of space between them – you might have to split them into at least two batches.

Lightly press mixture down with your thumb, then bake for 16-20 minutes, until they go just a little golden. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and leave to go cold.

If stored in an airtight container will keep well for about 5 days.

16 comments:

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Oh, Hooray, Hooray. So good to have you back in your virtual home again.
This looks and sounds like a really lovely biscuit (I would call it cookie) recipe. I also am fascinated with cloves, clove just seems a little more unusual that so many other spices. Would love to try these.

Cynthia said...

I missed you and I am glad that you are back. :)

I love the flavour combo of your biscuits.

Brilynn said...

Those are lovely comeback cookies!

Meeta K. Wolff said...

It's great to have you back and with such a lovely recipe. What an explosive mix of flavors!!

Deborah said...

So glad you are back! These look so delightful, I want to bake up a batch immediately!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Glad you are back! No more drinking wine at the laptop!

These cookies sound delicious! I am glad you have added a fan assisted temperature as i haven't got used to my fan oven yet, I am used to gas.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Tina, I'm so glad to see you are posting again!

These cookies are just fabulous - I love all the ingredients you put together.

When my kitchen is a bit smelly (especially after cooking/grilling fish) I boil cloves in water and the perfume takes over the entire apartment, it's delicious!

Anonymous said...

Yes! Great to see you posting again. ;-) I like this interesting mix of ingredients -- lime, cloves, macademia nuts. Love it!

Paz

Anita said...

Welcome back! They sound so exotic and unusual, and look so lovely!

Anonymous said...

Hi Val, This recipe just has to be tried by moi. I have a fascination with cloves ever since I did a detox diet mixing them with lemon and hot water. The fragrance of cloves is so unique and exotic.
I am not usually a maker of biscuits, so I am quite excited about making my own.
Take care, Sam xxx

Nora B. said...

Oh Valentina, I'm so glad you are back. I was wondering if you were ok because it was so long since you posted, and I still kept checking back to see if you had written something.

These cookies sound delightful. I've only had that combination once in a dessert, a lime pannacotta served with clove-scented coconut sauce and candied macadamia. I can just imagine how delicous the cookies would be.

Valentina said...

Tanna, what I love most about this recipe is that it is very gentle.A gem.

Cynthia, thank you for visiting. it is such an honour to have you here.

Brilyinn, they are truly nice. The cloves are not overpowering at all.

Meeta, it is great to be back.Even though still in slow motion. Fighting against time.

Deborah, let me know if you make them. I found them so elegant!

Holler, I have indeed learnt my lesson. It cost me dearly - I'm slightly poorer now. Oh, i will always put the temperature for fan assisted oven.

Pat, I also do the very same thing with the difference that I always add cinamon as well. It is really great.

Paz, you are always so suportive. I think that I will try to post at least once a week.

Anita, what an honour to have you here.Nice to be back.

Sam sweetie, it is a great recipe. Very elegant in my opinion. do let me know if you try it.

Nora, you are so sweet. I have had serious problems finding spare time. i will try to at least post once a week. ; o ) I do miss you all and the interaction. oh, this pannacotta sounds amazing. I might experiment with the ingredients at some stage.

SteamyKitchen said...

Nice to meet you too! Thanks for coming over to say hi.

Can I just tell you that if I had to close my eyes and pick two flavors that would make my knees weak it would be chocolate, cloves and macadamia nuts? Can I add chocolate somehow to these cookies or would that totally overwhelm the cloves?

Lael Meidal said...

I'm hooked. As it goes, a series of links led me to your site and I'm so glad I'm here! These cookies definitely sealed the deal for me--I'm keeping my eye on your blog so please keep 'em coming.

Lael Meidal said...

I'm hooked. As it goes, a series of links led me to your site and I'm so glad I'm here! These cookies definitely sealed the deal for me--I'm keeping my eye on your blog so please keep 'em coming.

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