Darina Allen’s Fridge or Freezer Cookies

A gem of a recipe – if you’ve got a roll of this mixture in the freezer, you’ll never be without some fresh bikkies. A crisp, rich biscuit, these are particularly good with coffee. The mixture can be kept in the fridge for several days or popped in the freezer. Makes approx 50.

Ingredients

200g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

225g self-raising flour

75g shelled walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts, chopped

1 large egg, preferably freerange and organic, beaten

Method

Cream butter and sugar, then add flour, chopped nuts and beaten egg. Shape the dough into a long roll or rolls about 5cm in diameter, or smaller if you prefer, and wrap in silicone paper or foil. Chill in the refrigerator until the next day.

Preheat oven to 190?C/375?F/gas mark 5. Cut dough into very thin rounds. Arrange well apart on a baking tray. Cook for 10 minutes in the preheated oven; they should remain pale in colour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight tin.

Extracted from A Simply Delicious Christmas: 25^th Anniversary Edition by Darina Allen (Gill & Macmillan, €27.99), out now.