Swedish Cardamom Cookies

Ingredients:

225  butter, softened

125g icing sugar

275g flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 egg, beaten

10ml ground cardmom

5ml grated ornge zest

200g chopped pecans

Method:

Place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft. Add half the icing sugar and continue to beat, then add the other half and keep beating until the sugar is fully incorporated. Next add the flour, egg, cardamom, orange zest and a pinch of salt, and continue to beat until well combined. Alternatively, place all the ingredients in a food processor and whizz briefly to combine. 

On a worktop lightly dusted in flour, roll the dough into a log shape approximately 4cm in diameter and 35cm long. Sprinkle the chopped pecans or sugar nibs onto a large piece of baking parchment or cling film, then roll the dough log in the sugar nibs to coat before rolling up the dough in the paper or cling film. If you are not adding the nuts or sugar, then simply roll up the dough log in the paper/cling film. 

Place the wrapped dough in the fridge to chill for a few hours or overnight and when you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 180C, and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into slices 5–7mm thick. Transfer the slices to the prepared baking sheets and bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes (the time varying according to the thickness of the cookies) or until light golden. Unless you have a fan oven, you will need to bake the cookies in two batches. 

Using a palette knife or metal fish slice, carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool.