Afghan biscuits

There are lots of theories as to how these biscuits got their name, though none seem to relate directly to Afghanistan. Regardless, these chocolate and cornflake cookies topped with walnuts are a true New Zealand classic.

• makes

  20

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 150 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 185 g (1¼ cups) plain flour
• 25 g (¼ cup) cocoa powder
• 60 g (1½ cups) cornflakes
• chopped toasted walnuts, to decorate

Chocolate icing

• 160 g (1 cup) icing sugar mixture
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and ¼ tsp salt until pale and fluffy. Add flour, cocoa powder and cornflakes, and stir to combine.

Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls, flatten slightly and place on 2 greased and lined oven trays, 2 cm apart. Bake, swapping trays halfway, for 15 minutes or until just firm.

Set aside to cool.

To make icing, whisk icing sugar and cocoa powder with 2 tbsp water until combined and

a thick paste consistency. Add more water, 1 tsp at a time, if necessary. Immediately spread over cooled biscuits and top each with a little of the chopped walnuts, to decorate.

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 17, pg64.

Photography by Alan Benson

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.