Wholemeal Rye Hot Cross Biscuits

2 x mixing bowls and baking tray

SPICE BISCUITS
100g Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Rye Flour
¼ tsp Doves Farm Bicarbonate of Soda
¼ tsp cinnamon
75g butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
75g dark brown sugar
25g currants
2 tbsp milk

CROSS TOPPING
10g butter
1 tsp caster sugar
15g Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour
1 tsp milk
1 tbsp apricot jam, optional
flour, for dusting
milk, for brushing

180°C, Fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4

Spice Biscuits

1. Pre-heat the oven. 
2. Measure the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a bowl and stir to combine.
3. Chop the butter into small cubes and put them in another bowl.
4. Finely grate the lemon rind and add this to the bowl. 
5. Add the dark brown sugar and flour blend.
6. Using a fork or pastry cutter work everything together until they resemble breadcrumbs.
7. Add the currants and stir to combine.
8. Add the milk, and stir to make a rough dough.
9. Using your hands gather together a ball of dough. 
10. Divide the dough into 15 pieces and roll each into a ball.
11. Using the palm of your hand, press each ball into a 5cm circle.

Cross Topping

1. Chop the butter into very small cubes and put them in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the caster sugar and white rye flour.
3. Using a fork, gather everything together until they resemble breadcrumbs.
4. Add the milk, and stir to make a dough.
5. Using your hands gather together a ball of dough. 
6. Scatter some flour on the work surface and the dough if it is sticky.
7. Put the dough on the work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about 15x5cm/6×2”.
8. Cut the dough into three pieces of 5x5cm/2×2”.
9. Cut each piece of dough into 10 thin strips.

Hot Cross Biscuits

1. Brush the top of each dough circle liberally with milk.
2. Lay two strips of the white dough across each cookie to form a cross.
3. Transfer the hot cross biscuit circles onto a baking tray.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. If you plan to add the apricot glaze, gently warm the jam.
6. Remove the biscuits from the oven and lightly brush warm jam over the top of each one.
7. Leave the cookies on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
8. When cold store the biscuits in a tin.