Sweet and warmly spiced biscuits, sandwiched with raspberry jam, iced and sprinkled with jelly crystals.
What more can you ask for in a biscuit!
This recipe is an oldie, but it’s a goodie.
The name of these biscuits originates from the First World War when it was first named the Empire biscuit or the Imperial biscuit. Now in New Zealand it is most commonly known as a Belgium or Belgian biscuit.
I am fond of the warm spices in this recipe, and in my opinion the sweet jelly crystals sprinkled onto the icing is essential not only to the look of the biscuit, but also the taste.
What Are Belgium Biscuits?
Belgium biscuits are spiced sandwich cookies made with butter, flour, and a blend of aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Traditionally, the cookies are sandwiched together with raspberry jam and topped with a layer of vibrant pink icing, often sprinkled with decorative sugar or freeze dried raspberries. Their festive appearance makes them a favorite for holidays and celebrations.
Use a circle cutter or a glass to cut the rounds. Keep the left over dough to re-roll (try not to over knead when you re-roll your off cuts).
Tips for Perfect Belgium Biscuits
Store the biscuits in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.
Chill the dough before rolling to make it easier to handle.
For a more festive twist, add a pinch of cloves or allspice to the dough.
Tips for Rolling out your Belgium Biscuit dough
Rolling out and cutting Belgian biscuit dough requires care to ensure the biscuits are uniform in thickness and hold their shape during baking. Here are some tips for the best results:
1. Chill the Dough
- After mixing the dough, wrap it in compostable plastic wrap or reuse an old cereal wrapper; and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps firm up the butter, making the dough easier to handle and less sticky.
2. Prepare Your Work Surface
- Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.
- Alternatively, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to avoid using excess flour, which can make the biscuits tough.
3. Roll Evenly
- Roll the dough out to a uniform thickness, typically about 5mm (¼ inch).
- Use rolling pin guides or spacers to ensure even thickness, which helps the biscuits bake evenly.
4. Cut the Shapes
- Use a sharp cookie cutter for clean edges. Dip the cutter in flour before each cut to prevent sticking.
- Press straight down without twisting the cutter, as twisting can distort the shapes.
5. Minimize Dough Handling
- Gather scraps gently and re-roll them only once to avoid overworking the dough, which can make the biscuits tough.
- If the dough becomes too soft while cutting, place it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up.
6. Transfer Carefully
- Use a spatula to transfer cut shapes to the baking tray lined with parchment paper. This prevents stretching or breaking the dough.
7. Chill Before Baking
- For sharp, defined shapes, chill the cut biscuits on the tray for 10–15 minutes before baking. This step helps prevent spreading during baking.
By following these steps, your Belgian biscuits will turn out perfectly shaped, even, and delicious every time!
Ice with faintly tinted pink icing and sprinkle with raspberry jelly crystals.
Store in an airtight biscuit tin for up to a week.
We believe they are best consumed the day after they have been iced.
This recipe will make approximately 20-24 biscuits based on your cutter size.
Would you like some more recipes with Jelly Crystals?
Try these;
Raspberry Flummery – Click here
Cheat Raspberry Cheesecake – Click here
Belgium Biscuits
Equipment
- Cake mixer or hand mixer
- Round cookie cutter or round glass
- Rolling Pin
- Lined baking trays
Ingredients
Biscuit
- 125 grams softened butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 2 cups standard flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tbsp ginger
Icing
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 drop red food colouring
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- boiling water
Sandwich Filling
- raspberry jam
Biscuit Topping
- ¼ box raspberry jelly crystals
Instructions
Biscuit
- Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Cream the softened butter and brown sugar until it's pale in colour.
- Add the egg and beat until combined.
- Next add the vanilla and golden syrup.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices; and combine.
- Roll the mixture into a ball and cover in cling film or a beeswax wrap. Place in to the refrigerator for an hour. (If you make the dough a day in advance make sure to take it out of the fridge an hour in advance before you roll it out).
- Cut the ball of dough in half. Place one half of the dough between two pieces of baking paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out until its between 3-5 ml thick.
- Use a cookie cutter or a glass to cut rounds. The excess dough can be scrunched up and re rolled.Repeat with the second half dough.
- Place the rounds on lined oven trays and place in the oven for 12 minutes.
Icing
- Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl.
- Drop a small amount of red food colouring into the icing sugar (you want a faint pink colour).
- Add the melted butter and combine.
- Use small amounts of boiling water to the icing until you have a smooth consistency.
Biscuit Construction
- Pair up the cooled biscuits making sure the pairs are even in size.
- Sandwich each pair with raspberry jam.
- Ice each biscuit and sprinkle with a pinch of jelly crystals.
- Store the biscuits in an airtight container.