Belgium biscuits
I’m quite a visual person. With my sewing, I’ve never followed a pattern, I prefer to eye it out or ‘copy’ an item that I already have. I like IKEA’s assembly instructions that are all images rather than something telling me to put the left thingimy on top of the right thingo making sure it lines up with the thingedybob on top.
I’m no different when it comes to recipes. Sometimes no matter how clear the instructions might sound to someone else, without a visual, I’m unlikely to create anything resembling the original.
Belgium biscuits
These Belgium biscuits were a victim of lack of visual aid. Though they tasted great, they’re not exactly what the cook book author had in mind when they wrote the recipe. At least now you can make them how they’re meant to be.
The ingredients
Butter and sugar
Start by beating the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Egg
Scrape down the sides with a spatula and add the egg then beat it through.
Flour, cocoa, baking powder and spices
Take the bowl off the stand and sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa and spices. Then you can either put it back on the stand and mix it all together or use a spoon. You could have guessed that I used the mixer. Mix it until the dough comes together in the middle.
Biscuit dough
Turn it out onto a floured surface and shape the dough into a ball. It was easiest to work with half the dough at a time so I cut it in two and set one piece aside.
The dough at this stage smells rather amazing. It took a little bit of control not to nibble a bit off.
Cutting the dough
Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 3mm thickness then cut out rounds with a 6.5cm cutter. I thought I’d go a bit fancy and use the cutter with a scalloped edge. I wasn’t sure the dough would hold the shape while baking so I tried one out before I cut them all like this.
It actually kept it’s shape really well so would be another good recipe to use for shaped biscuits like tea bag biscuits.
Ready for baking
Place the dough rounds on the lined trays leaving just 2cm between each one. They don’t really spread at all.
Bake the biscuits at 180C fan-forced for 15 minutes or until they are golden.
Resting
Leave them to rest on the trays for 5 minutes.
Icing
Meanwhile make the icing by mixing the icing sugar, essence and colouring with a little water until it becomes spreadable. Start with about a tablespoon of water and add a little at a time. If it gets too runny, add more icing sugar.
Cooling
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.
Iced
Now here is where my lack of visual aid got me into a bit of trouble. The recipe simply said ‘ice half the biscuits and coat the un-iced biscuits with jam.’ Re-reading it now, I can totally see what it’s meant to mean.
A finished biscuit should go biscuit, jam, biscuit, icing. I had in my head that the icing and jam were the filling. I turned them all over, spread half the insides with jam and half the insides with icing then sandwiched them together.
Sandwiched
Icing sugar dusting
As the end result still tasted the same as what they should have, I dusted them with icing sugar and pretended that’s exactly what they were meant to look like.
Belgium biscuits
The combination of spices, cocoa, icing and strawberry was quite a treat. Enjoy!
What about you? Do you need to see things to work out how to do them or are you ok with written instruction?
Belgium biscuits
Belgium biscuits
Ingredients
Biscuit
Icing
Filling
Instructions
Hi Claire,
I have that cook book too, and it drives me nuts without the pics lol. I can see how the biscuits came to be ;)
It’s tricky isn’t it. Although sometimes it can be better if yours doesn’t turn out like the photos you’ll never have to know!
I had one of these today at a bakery, and they had done exactly as you: jam and icing in the centre. The difference was they had a cut out in the top cookie, so the jam was visible (and fancy). So delicious that I looked up your recipe so I could make them myself.
Oh good so I’m not the only one to make them with everything inside! That would be a pretty idea I’ll have to remember for next time.
Your biscuits look so cute, I have never seen a Belgian biscuit like that before, in NZ we normally top the icing with pink or red jelly chrystals, but I think your version looks more grown up :)
Thanks Kara! I like the sound of grown up. It was by accident and lack of reading the recipe in truth but I kind of like them this way too.
I do like to be able to see the end product as well as a couple of pics along the way, where it may be difficult to understand by word only (such as “thick batter” or “until it makes a fine crumb”) but for the basics, like flour and sugar and melted butter, I find the pictures a little distracting as it gets in the way of my ability to read the recipe!
Thanks for your feedback Sian. I like to show all the steps because I never know what sort of experience a reader has. I also include the full recipe at the bottom of the post so if you don’t need the step by step photos you can skip straight to the recipe. Enjoy!
These look delicious Claire! I feel like I could smell them baking as I was reading (if that makes any sense…) Such a nice combination of spices. And I love that blue stand you have them on!
Just the raw dough smelled amazing Emilie! Thank you, I bought it in Thailand on our honeymoon.
Your version looks great. I love the idea of biting through the crisp biscuit and then having the icing and jam squelching out. Sometimes mistakes make a better dish. GG
Yes you’re right. I’m sure some of the best discoveries have been accidents.
I made these for my homesick NZ friend Queen Viv and she loved them! I also used the Edmonds cookbook just for that authentic NZness ;)
I haven’t had a bad recipe from it yet!
Claire, I like your version much better than the original! They look very enticing with both of those fillings oozing out just a bit. I bet these cookies are fantastic even without any filling!
I like that theory Chris. Oozing and sweet treats go very well together don’t they?
These little beauties look wonderful, Claire! Your food is always heaps more attractive than mine and I want it to stop. :) Maybe I’ll just have to pick up my game.
I think you’re just too harsh on yourself Maureen. Your food looks amazing!
I must admit I am never as excited about recipes that don’t have a finished picture. Except Julia Child’s and Stephanie Alexander’s cookbooks… but I read these like novels not cookbooks!
The photos definitely make it prettier! Me too but you already know that, I’m sure it’s just one of the reasons we’re friends!
Sometimes new recipes or techniques make my head explode. Like one time I made a brioche, and I was waiting for the dough to meet the description in the recipe and nearly stopped the mixer a dozen times. But then suddenly it came together and there was no doubt in my mind that I’d been right to keep mixing… but I’m certain plenty of people would have stopped just shy of it. If only there had been a picture of what the dough that had come together looked like, they would have saved a lot of heartache! I still think your biscuits look good, though. Dusting with icing sugar always makes things look a little bit fancy :)
Exactly! That’s why I like to share the process photos as well. So many times when I’m making something I wonder if it’s meant to look the way it does.
Aww thanks!
Ha, ha. That’s so funny. That’s exactly the sort of thing I would do. I made a cake a few weeks ago, popped it in the oven and then saw two eggs sitting on the kitchen bench. Hmm, think those were supposed to be in the cake! Never mind, it turned out to be a great tasting cake – egg free! Your biscuits look amazing Claire even with their two fillings. Love how you repaired the damage with a sprinkle of icing sugar. Who would know! xx
Oh I’ve done that before with other ingredients Charlie! At least you made a great discovery from your mistake. Isn’t icing sugar the best?!