{"id":906,"date":"2014-10-30T22:50:02","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T22:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=906"},"modified":"2014-10-30T23:19:28","modified_gmt":"2014-10-30T23:19:28","slug":"mummy-biscuits-for-halloween","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=906","title":{"rendered":"‘Mummy’ Biscuits for Halloween"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Was there ever a post with so many possible ‘titles’ – chocolate biscuit\/cookie, Halloween biscuit\/cookie, Gingerbread Man Chocolate Biscuit \u2026?<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> To me, this is a biscuit as opposed to a cookie – because in its ‘basic’ form it is dunk-able. \u00a0I’ve used \u00a0a Gingerbread Man Cutter but a chocolate biscuit dough – because it’s not Christmas and chocolate biscuits taste lovely. \u00a0It’s in the form of a Halloween ‘Mummy’ because \u2026. well, other people do that.<\/p>\n

I have to say, Halloween has always passed me by – as my family has its focus firmly on Bonfire Night. \u00a0Fireworks. \u00a0Bonfires. \u00a0Sausages. \u00a0Doughnuts on strings. \u00a0Apple bobbing. \u00a0Toffee Apples \u2026 \u00a0As a child I coloured chalk pictures on black paper of spectacular eruptions and as an adult I’ve made vats of baked beans and overseen bonfire singed baked potatoes with gusto. \u00a0There’s no time for Halloween.<\/p>\n

It is also true I’m a wimp. \u00a0There’s a reason I chose to write ‘romance’ where happy endings are guaranteed and I need to be coaxed to watch anything beyond a ‘parental guidance’ film. \u00a0I don’t really ‘get’ Halloween \u00a0– but when my neighbours’ children stand at my door with their faces daubed in violet and green I have to have something. \u00a0Once a mum, always a mum …<\/p>\n

This, then, is my ‘trick or treat’ option this year.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> This is my ‘go-to’ chocolate biscuit\/cookie dough. \u00a0It’s very stable, takes minutes to whizz up and is easy to remember – 200g butter, 200g caster sugar, 400g dry ingredients and one egg.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> The flour and cocoa powder need to be sieved together. \u00a0Cocoa powder is prone to lumpiness and you may as well get the two combined at the start.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Beat the softened butter together with the caster sugar. \u00a0You are looking for ‘light’.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Slowly add the \u00a0beaten egg.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> And then the flour, salt and cocoa powder. \u00a0Mix until just combined and gather into a ball.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Flatten and chill for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Remove from the fridge and briefly knead until there are no cracks. \u00a0Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 4mm. I use marzipan guides. \u00a0If you are finding your dough sticky to work with you may find it easier to roll between sheets of cling film or baking paper.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Use a floured cookie cutter to cut out the ‘gingerbread’ men. \u00a0If you give the cutter a little wiggle it helps when you lift your cut-outs to your baking tray.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Cover with cling film and chill for a second time. \u00a0This is to minimise shrinkage which isn’t hugely important here. \u00a0(I freeze mine – and that’s as much to do with the fact I never have any room in my fridge. \u00a0When it’s time to bake there’s no need to thaw first.)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Bake at 175\u00baC\/Gas Mark 3\/325\u00baF for 12 minutes, or until the biscuits spring back to the touch of a finger. \u00a0(Have you noticed how on TV cooking programmes they always have new baking sheets? \u00a0Wouldn’t that be nice! \u00a0Please excuse my much used bake-o-glide.)<\/em> Allow the biscuits to cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes or so.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make up some royal icing – about 250g. \u00a0I was short on time so used a commercial mix, so followed the instructions on the packet.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a>Making your own paper piping bag saves lots of money. \u00a0Fold one corner up diagonally and cut in half. \u00a0I use a knife, sliding it along the sharp crease so I have a clean cut.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> You are left with a triangle. \u00a0Place it on the worktop with the 90\u00ba angle pointing towards you.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Curl one side over to that 90\u00ba angle.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Wrap the other side round. \u00a0(It’s easier when you’re not holding a camera.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> You should now have a cone. \u00a0If your point isn’t sharp, bring it into line by adjusting the layers.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Fold over to secure.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> And then again, to keep it all from unravelling. \u00a0Make a couple. \u00a0It gets easier with practise. Also make a half-sized one.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Fill with a little of the royal icing – don’t go more than halfway up the bag or you’ll end up in a horrible mess. \u00a0Close the bag by folding over the top a couple of times.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> First the eyes. \u00a0Snip the end off your piping bag. \u00a0Keep one hand on the folded over top and the index finger of the other along the piping bag seam and use it to guide the bag. \u00a0To pipe a circle you need to hold the bag vertically. \u00a0Place the tip on the biscuit, raise 1mm and start to squeeze. \u00a0Allow the icing to spread out in a circle. \u00a0Once you have an eyeball the size you want, stop squeezing. \u00a0Lift off with a circular motion.<\/p>\n

If you’re left with a ‘nipple’ (and, yes, I believe that *is* the technical term)<\/em> you can flatten it with a dampened cooking-only paint brush. \u00a0It doesn’t matter here as you need to pipe the pupil. In a small bowl, mix a bit of royal icing with black food paste. \u00a0Using your ‘baby’ piping bag, pipe small black dots in the centre of the white dots. \u00a0Leave to dry. \u00a0Not long.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> By the time you’ve got to the end of 16-or so cookies, the first ones will be dry enough.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> I start with the legs. \u00a0This time you’ll find it easier if you hold your piping bag at a 45\u00ba angle and allow the icing to flow.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> I love the way his little eyes peek out. Just the arms to go.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> One mummy. \u00a0Keep going.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a> Eat.<\/p>\n

\"Halloween<\/a>‘Mummy’ Halloween Biscuits<\/strong> – about 16<\/em><\/p>\n