Makes: 35 – 40 biscuits

INGREDIENTS (Biscuits):

• 300 grams plain flour (plus more for dusting)
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 100 grams soft butter
• 100 grams soft dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (beaten)
• 4 tablespoons runny honey

FOR THE ICING AND TRIMMINGS

• 300 grams instant royal icing (from packet)
• edible glitter or gold or silver balls
  
  NOTE: If you can’t find Instant Royal Icing, you can make your own by mixing 2 tablespoons of egg white powder (meringue powder in the States) with 500g (2½ cups) of icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar) and 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of warm water. Or you can use 1 large egg white with the same amount of icing sugar and a teaspoon or two of water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the icing has thickened and forms soft peaks. 
  

METHOD:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/350ºF.
   
2. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and pepper in a food processor and, with the motor on, add the butter and sugar, then, slowly, the beaten eggs and runny honey, though don’t use all of this liquid if the pastry has come together before it’s used up.
   
3. Form 2 fat discs and put one, covered in clingfilm or in a freezer bag, in the fridge while you get started on the other.
   
4. Then dust a work surface with flour, roll out the disc, also floured, to about 5mm / ¼ inch and cut out your Christmas decorations with cutters of your choice, which could include fir-tree shapes, angels, stars, snowflakes, and so on.
   
5. Re-roll and cut out some more, setting aside the residue from this first disc, well covered, while you get on with rolling out the second. When you’ve got both sets of leftover clumps of dough, roll out and cut out again, and keep doing so till all the dough’s used up.
   
6. Now take a small icing nozzle and use the pointy end to cut out a hole just below the top of each biscuit (through which ribbon can later be threaded).
   
7. Arrange the pastry shapes on the lined baking sheets and cook for about 20 minutes: it’s hard to see when they’re cooked, but you can feel; if the underside is no longer doughy, they’re ready. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
   
8. Make up the instant royal icing, beating it until it’s thick enough to be able to cover the biscuits with a just-dripping blanket of white; but don’t beat it for as long as the packet says or you’ll have icing so thick it will need to be spread with a spatula and you won’t get such a neat outline.
   
9. Carefully ice the cold decorations, using a teaspoon (the tip for dripping, the back for smoothing), and scatter sparkles or sprinkles as you like. When the icing is set, thread ribbon through the holes and hang on your tree.
   
   Recipe by Nigella.