These biscuits remind me of the flavours that scented many Cretan kitchens when I was growing up. Orange, cinnamon, cloves and sesame are ingredients deeply woven into our food traditions, creating treats that are simple, wholesome and designed to last. Twice baked until crisp, these biscuits are perfect for keeping in a tin and reaching for whenever friends drop by, or when you simply want something satisfying to enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients (makes 40-50 biscuits)
- 150ml mild extra virgin olive oil
- 150g caster sugar
- 150ml freshly squeezed orange juice
- 500g plain flour
- 1 orange, zest of
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50g sesame seeds
Method
In a large bowl, beat the olive oil with the sugar, ground cinnamon and cloves and orange zest.
In a small bowl, whisk the bicarbonate of soda into the orange juice, over the bowl containing the other ingredients as it bubbles and stir into the olive oil mix.
Sieve the flour with the baking powder and add gradually stirring as you go along. Use your hands to make a soft dough, pouring the flour in small quantities towards the end as you may have a few grams left over depending on the liquids and the flour you use. Use your hands to knead gently but do not overwork the dough. It should be soft, glossy and not stick to your hands. Cover with clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Rinse the sesame in a colander and drain. Spread the sesame seeds on a clean wooden surface and line a baking tin with baking paper or silicone mat.
Preheat the oven to 180 0 C.
Take the dough out of the bowl and lay on a clean working surface. Make into a sausage and cut in two. Roll each sausage to a length of approx. 40cm and roll into the wet sesame, pressing gently so that the sesame seeds stick. Use the bland side of a knife to score the sausage into 1cm thick slices.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes to cool and use a knife to cut the individual biscuits all the way through. Turn the biscuits cut side up, reduce the oven temperature to 160 0 C and continue baking until golden and crisp. Leave on the tin to cool and store in an airtight container. They should last and stay crispy a few weeks.