• Prep Time 40 minutes
• Cook Time 10 minutes per batch
• Makes 24 biscuits

Equipment

• Biscuit cutter 2” and 2 ½ “
• Parchment or greaseproof paper

Ingredients

• 230g/8oz unsalted butter – softened
• 100g/3.5oz granulated sugar
• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 30 assorted fresh pansies or primulas

Method

1. In your bowl, cream (mix together) the butter and sugar, either by hand or using an electric hand whisk, for about 5 minutes until pale and smooth.

2. Gently mix in the flour until completely incorporated – try not to work the flour too much or the biscuits will not be so crumbly. Using your hands, squeeze the mixture together into a ball of dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

• While the dough is chilling, go and pick your flowers – carefully pinch off the stems and any thick parts just behind the petals, taking care to keep the flower intact.
• Lay the dry flowers, face side down, on a sheet of parchment paper. Fill the sheet with flowers.
• Place another sheet on top, and then weigh it down with a baking tray topped with several heavy books.
• Let the flowers press for at least 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150C fan/130C/Gas 3
5. Roll out the dough to a 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with your biscuit cutters – 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch.
6. Bake the biscuits in batches, one tray at a time. Bake the smaller biscuits for 8 minutes, and the larger ones for 9-11 minutes, depending on thickness. Your biscuits will not brown, they will be pale and soft when done. The biscuits will firm up as they cool.
7. Remove the tray from the oven and gently press the flat pansies onto the hot biscuits, pressing slightly to adhere the flowers to the biscuits. You don’t need to press too firmly as the heat from the biscuits will do the job. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Let the biscuits cool completely on a rack.

Top tip Pick flowers in the morning, after the dew has evaporated, but before the heat of the day.

Adapted from a recipe by Sue Moran.