Pecan Butter & Orange Biscuits

Nutty, zesty biscuits perfect for dunking.

Ingredients:

• 150g Butter - softened
• 75g Caster sugar
• 45g Dark soft brown sugar
• 1.25tsp Fine salt
• Zest of half an orange
• 60g Pophams Pecan butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 130g Plain flour
• 75g Wholemeal flour
• 0.5 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 80g Chopped pecans

Makes approximately 30 biscuits

Method:

- Allow the butter to become very soft before starting — it should be easily spreadable at this stage. Tip: If the butter is too firm, microwave on low for 5–10 seconds at a time.

- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low speed for 1–2 minutes, until smooth and glossy but not pale or fluffy. You’re aiming for a silky texture (similar to mayonnaise), not a whipped one. Alternatively, beat by hand with a wooden spoon until smooth.

- Add both sugars, the salt, the orange zest and the pecan butter. Mix on low speed until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed.

- Mix in the egg yolk on low speed until the mixture is glossy and cohesive.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, wholemeal flour and bicarbonate of soda. Add half of this dry mix to the butter mixture and mix on low for 30 seconds, until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix only until no streaks of flour remain.

*Don’t overmix – stop as soon as the dough comes together for tender, crisp biscuits. Fold in the chopped pecans until evenly distributed.

- Place the dough between two sheets of baking parchment (about 45 cm / 18 in each).
Roll or press the dough out gently to about 5 mm (¼ in) thick — roughly the height of two stacked £1 coins.

- Slide the rolled dough (still between parchment) onto a tray and chill for at least 1 hour, or until firm. Tip. Make-ahead: You can chill overnight — cold dough cuts cleanly and bakes evenly.

- Preheat the oven to 170 °C (fan 150 °C / 340 °F). Line 2 baking trays with parchment.

- Remove the dough from the fridge, peel off the top sheet, and cut into 6 cm (2½ in) squares (or use a cutter of your choice). If the dough softens too much while cutting, return it to the fridge for 5–10 minutes until firm enough to handle.

- Arrange the biscuits on a baking tray, 2 cm (¾ in) apart. Bake in the centre of the oven for 12–16 minutes, rotating halfway through. They’re ready when evenly golden and the surface feels slightly leathery to the touch; the biscuits will still be slightly soft, but they’ll crisp fully as they cool.

- Cool the biscuits completely on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.