Easter Biscuits

With a touch of gold....

This sights and sounds of Easter are unmistakeable. Leaves are beginning to unfurl on trees. Green shoots are shouldering their way to the surface of the fecund earth. Drifts of blossom flutter down to the earth. And there is the hearty chorus from the birds as the spring day dawns.

I often feel that ‘spring’ is a slightly misleading term for this season of rebirth. To my mind it doesn’t suddenly jump up and assail us with its presence but rather it creeps like an unstoppable tide of greenery. No matter what the weather - warm sunshine, driving rain or squally winds - spring will proceed regardless although I find it easier to embrace this season once Easter is out of the way.

The Venerable Bede claimed that Easter is derived from the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, although evidently her recognition as a deity has been challenged by some medieval historians (for more on Eostre and her egg laying hare see Emma Kay’s excellent book Fodder & Drincan: Anglo Saxon Culinary History):

Eosturmonath (April) has a name which is now translated “Paschal Month’, and was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feast were celebrated in that month. Now they designate the Paschal seasoned by her name, calling the joys of the new right by the time on the name of the old observance.

Yellow is the colour I most associate with Spring - think daffodils, primroses and saffron. I use a saffron bun recipe from my book Fools Gold: A History of British Saffron when I make hot cross buns on Good Friday. Nicolas Culpeper thought saffron strengthened the heart and although he is thinking about its medicinal applications, I believe when faced with saffron’s vibrancy it uplifts the spirits and chases away the winter gloom. As such a costly spice it makes sense that saffron would be included in cakes and biscuits baked to celebrate particular feasts or festivals.

A few years ago a lady who attended one of my talks on the history of saffron told me that saffron was sometimes added to Sedgemoor Easter Cakes. I have yet to come across a recipe that includes this spice so have taken the liberty of adding a little saffron a recipe I found in Good Things in England by Florence White, given to the editor by a Mrs Wyatt of Huish Episcopi in Somerset.

Saffron Easter Biscuits

Makes 10-12, 8cm biscuits (see note below)

Ingredients

• 1 pinch saffron

• 2 tbsp brandy or milk

• 225g plain flour plus a little extra for rolling out

• ½ tsp ground mixed spice

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 100g room temperature, unsalted butter, cubed in 1 cm pieces

• 100g caster sugar plus extra for dusting

• 100g currants

• 1 medium egg

Method

1. Crush the saffron in a small pestle and mortar, then add to the brandy or milk and leave to steep for a while (30 minutes would be ideal but an hour is better). If you don’t have a pestle and mortar add the saffron to the liquid as it is and leave for 30-60 minutes.

2. Preheat your oven to 180℃ (or slightly less if using a fan oven).

3. Sift the flour and spices into a roomy bowl. Add the cubed butter then run into the flour until you have a mixture resembling bread crumbs.

4. Stir in the sugar and currants.

5. Beat the egg with the saffron infused brandy or milk. Add to the dry ingredients then mix together to create a soft dough.

6. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1cm. Stamp out rounds then place on a baking sheet lined with silicone paper or similar. Bake for 15-20 minutes. They should be a pale golden colour when cooked (so don’t keep them in the oven for too long!). Leave on a tray for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with more caster sugar before serving.

Variation - Chocolate & Saffron Easter Biscuits

Some people are dead set against currants (my late father was of this breed). So if you are in the anti currant camp, you can replace the currants with the same quantity of dark chocolate chips and the spices with ½ tsp vanilla extract (add the extract with the egg and brandy/milk saffron mixture). Both versions are delightful in opinion.

Note

The authors of Traditional Foods of Britain describe Sedgemoor Easter Cakes as being about 5mm thick. I think it really depends on what sort of texture you prefer. Mrs Wyatt’s recipe produces a thick biscuit with a much softer texture. If you prefer a thinner, crisper biscuit they will probably require less cooking (more like 8-12 minutes) and you will get a greater number of biscuits.