This year I am going to attempt to complete the 52 week baking challenge. Each week has a different theme and the challenge is to bake one recipe a week that fits the theme. All my recipes are lactose free, but lactose free ingredients can simply be swapped for their dairy counterpart. Here is my recipe post for week three, the theme “Nordic”…

Swedish Biscuits for week 3 ‘nordic’ challenge.

Recipe adapted from Anna’s Kitchen’s Swedish Butter Biscuits

These biscuits are crumbly and melt in the mouth delicious. I left them plain as I couldn’t get the paerl socker which is a traditional topping for them, and this left them with a flavour that is just on the sweet side but not overwhelmingly sugary which I like. Great with a mid-morning cup of chai tea.

Ingredients

225g lactose free butter substitute-room temp (I used Becel Vegan)

285g Plain flour

4 tbsp caster sugar

1 egg for glazing

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 175 C (350 F). Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add the sugar and bring together into a dough. Don’t knead it. Let the dough rest in a zip-lock bag or clingfilm in the fridge for half an hour. Roll the dough out into finger-thick sausages and cut pieces about the size of your thumb, diagonally. (My dough was still slightly crumbly after resting in the fridge, so my sausages ended up a little larger than they should have been – I think this is due to the butter substitute, next time I will try rolling out into a flat sheet 1/2inch think before slicing). Put the cut biscuits on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Beat an egg with a little water and brush each biscuit with it. Optional: Sprinkle paerl socker on top. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes & cool on a wire cooling rack.