Pepparkaka- Crispy Ginger Biscuits

Even just writing the word made me ‘need’ to eat another one! 😛 This recipe has to be in the top five things to come out of the Life Diet Health kitchen! They are crunchy, crispy, gingery, spicy, delicious snappy thin biscuits! Can you tell that I love these! 😀

Pepparkaka are a traditional Swedish ginger biscuit typically eaten at Christmas. I’m certain you have come across them somewhere (maybe in a big Swedish home store)! Of course, other countries probably have similar biscuits, but these are the ones I recall eating and loving so much.

Pepparkaka literally translates as ‘Pepper cake’ and when they were first made in the Middle Ages, pepper was a common ingredient in baking! Of course, you don’t think I would actually put pepper in a biscuit do you! 😛 Seriously! 😀 Oops! I might have added a pinch, just to get the spiciness! Yes! I really did! 😛 You can leave it out, but a pinch of ground white pepper (which thankfully we had some of) really makes these biscuits pop! 😀 

This week I promise I will work on that Christmas Pudding recipe! I just love biscuits so much and I really wanted to perfect these biscuits so I have something to munch on whilst watching all those holiday films which have suddenly appeared on tv! 😛

Oh, and these biscuits make such a quick great dessert option! I added some natural coconut yogurt and some left over cherry pie filling (I couldn’t resist it – and the cherry pie was great too)! and they went SO well together I had to make another! 😛 I think natural yogurt and fresh satsuma or mango would work great too!

Before we go, look at these gorgeous flowers I received this week! happy Anniversary to me! 😛 

Anyway, let me know what you think of these biscuits and if you make them please show us your photos using the hashtag #LifeDietHealth or tag us on instagram @LifeDietHealth 

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Right… let’s see the recipe for these biscuits you know you have to make!

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Pepparkaka- Spicy Ginger Biscuits

Crispy crunchy ginger biscuits from a Swedish recipe.

Created by:: Laurena @LifeDietHealth

Gather

• 60 g vegetable spread we used vitalite
• 85 g coconut sugar
• 30 g coconut nectar (or syrup/treacle/molasses)
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons chickpea (gram) flour
• 2 teaspoons water
• just under 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 + teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• small pinch ground white pepper
• pinch salt
• 150 g plain flour (gluten free if required) plus extra for rolling.

Prepare

1. Melt the butter, sugar and nectar together until the sugar dissolves (we used the microwave).  Remove from the heat source.
2. Add the bicarbonate of soda and mix well (it might fizz or bubble a bit).
3. Mix the gram flour with the water until you have a smooth paste, add this to the mix.
4. Add the spices, salt and flour and mix well.
5. Collect the dough into a ball, put in a shallow bowl or plate and flatten, cover with greaseproof paper / a wax wrap / silicon cover (or cling-film if you still use it)! Put in the fridge for a minimum of 2.5 hours.

6. Grease and dust, or line a baking tray. Get plenty of flour ready, a rolling pin (or your hands and a palette knife), and shape cutters. If you have a thin flexible chopping board, these are great for rolling on. Dust your work space liberally with flour.

7. Pinch a small piece off the dough from the fridge, roll out as thinly as possible (1-2mm if you can) then cut shapes. Place on your prepared baking tray.
8. Bake at Gas Mark 5 (375f / 190c) for just FIVE minutes! Check and bake for an extra minute or two IF required. Remove from the oven and carefully remove from the tray as quickly as possible. They will appear soft but harden quickly. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container as soon as possible.
9. Repeat with the remaining dough as and when required!
10. Enjoy!

Tips & Storage

• Use any shaped cutters you like – stars, hearts, circles or snowmen, santas, reindeer – see which work best.
• You can ice these after baking to give them a more festive look.
• Vary the thickness of the biscuits (keep all the same thickness for one bake) to find which works best for you.
• Dough stores in the fridge for up to a week.
• Biscuits should keep fresh for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
• Take the pepper out if you really can’t imagine using it – maybe add a sprinkle of cardamom powder instead.
• Bake to order! This amount of dough makes a lot of biscuits!
• Use the biscuits as a dessert base – add natural yogurt (or even ice cream) and a fruity topping (such as cherry, orange, mango).