Classic Afghan Cookies Recipe - New Zealand Iced Biscuits

Afghan Cookies

Makes about 14 (depending on size)

For the biscuit

• 6ozs/170g butter softened to room temperature

• 1/2 cup/100g brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cups/180g flour

• 3 tablespoons cocoa

• 1/2 teaspoon baking power

• 2 cups/60g cornflakes broken up into smaller bits (but not small enough to be powder)

For the icing

• 3 tablespoons water

• 3 tablespoons/45g caster sugar

• 3 tablespoons/45g butter

• 1 1/2 cups/190g icing sugar

• 3 tablespoons cocoa

• walnut halves

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180c. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

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Step 2 - Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Sift dry ingredients on top of this mix and mix together. The batter will be in little lumps. Then knead in cornflakes and gathering a ball of the mix, shape rounds and place on baking tray-we made them about 5.5-6cms in diameter. Flatten them gently with a fork. They do not really spread so just put them a little bit apart from each other but not touching.

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Step 3 - Bake for 12-14 minutes (if cooking time is too short, they will be too delicate to set). Cool.

Icing

Step 1 - Gently heat the water, caster sugar ad butter until butter is melted and simmer for 1 minute to form a syrup. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa.

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Step 2 - While constantly whisking with a balloon whisk, pour the syrup onto the sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Add some hot water to thin out icing (we added about 5 tablespoons but just judge from the icing consistency). You want it thick enough to hold its shape and not run but not thick enough so that any spoon marks hold.

Step 3 - Using a teaspoon place some icing on the centre of the cookie and then add a walnut half in the centre of each. Leave to set if you can wait or just let the kids at it. It's hard to hold them back at this stage.

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