Almond Biscuits with Chocolate Ganache

This is again one of my favourite combination, which you can find in most of my baked goodies. Almond and orange is simply irresistible to me. You can make different cookie shapes to enjoy your holiday and festive season.

Recipe Source: Cakes and Bakes by BBC Good Food
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Makes 20 biscuits

Ingredients:
Plain flour- 100 g
Butter- 75 g
Ground Almonds- 75 g
Brown Sugar or Caster Sugar- 75 g
Grated Orange rind- 1 tsp
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Marzipan- 50 g

Chocolate Ganache:
Dark Chocolate or Plain Chocolate- 50 g
Double cream- 100 ml

Nuts to sprinkle on top

Method:
To make the biscuits: 
Sift the flour and almonds in a large bowl, add the butter and work with your hands gently until it resembles bread crumbs like consistency. Add the grated orange rind and mix well. Add the sugar and mix it until it holds together like a dough.
Thinly roll out half of the dough and cut using cookie cutter to make crescent and star shapes. Roll out the marzipan also like a thin sheet. Cut the shapes using a cookie cutter.
Place one shape of the cookie, top it up with a marzipan shape and then top it again with the cookie dough. Seal the edges.
Preheat the oven to 160 degree Celsius. Bake the biscuits for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. To check if the cookies are cooked, when they are in the oven, move slightly with your index finger if it moves freely without sticking to the paper then the cookies are done.

Chocolate Ganache:
To make the ganache, heat the cream and chocolate in a bowl sitting on top of a pan of simmering water. When the chocolate melts completely take it off from heat. Beat it continuously when you are heating.
Dip the biscuits in the ganache and sprinkle with nuts.

Notes:
You can also make this recipe without marzipan filling and chocolate ganache. If you are not using chocolate ganache simply dust it with icing sugar.

This recipe goes to White Christmas Challenge    Bake Off, Suma's Baking event  and to Love Feast Holiday Cookie Exchange.