Baking For Beginners: Lotus Spread Biscuits

A few weeks ago, my Twitter feed lit up with women who were hailing the UK arrival of Lotus spread as some kind of modern day miracle. I was curious about this wonder condiment. Called 'the original caramelised biscuit spread', Lotus spread is made from Belgian biscuits that taste like caramelised gingerbread. They're the ones you get in little packets at the hairdressers, perched next to a cup of tea that immediately gets bits of hair in it. You might know them as speculoos biscuits, although that's always sounded uncomfortably like 'speculum' to me. Lotus biscuits: YES PLEASE. Speculoos: oh dear no I'm suddenly very full thanks though.

You can get Lotus spread from Waitrose in both smooth and crunchy versions, priced at £2.49 a jar. It's delicious and worryingly addictive. Spread it on toast and it's sweet, spicy and warming. "I sat and ate it out of the jar for dinner," confided one friend sadly. "IT TASTES LIKE DREAMS," said another. "It is now one of my main food groups," said another firmly. She'll have scurvy soon. She's so happy though.

You can also bake with Lotus spread, so I've added it to some biscuits. Yes, I have made biscuits with biscuits. They're lightly spiced and the cinnamon sugar topping both looks pretty and enhances their flavour. Bake these, then sit down with the rest of the jar and a spoon. Evening: sorted.

Lotus spread biscuits (makes about 24)
You will need:

For the biscuits

• 65g unsalted butter
• 50g Lotus spread
• 170g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 170g self-raising flour 

For the sprinkle topping

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Cream together the butter, Lotus spread and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Slowly add the vanilla extract and egg and beat until combined.
4. Sift in the flour and fold in to make a dough. Chill the dough if it's not firm enough to work with, or if you're baking the biscuits later.
5. Mix the cinnamon and sugar on a small plate. Scoop up a walnut-sized piece of the dough, roll into a ball, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. 
6. Place the balls on the baking trays, evenly spaced with a little room to spread. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and firm around the edges, then take them out of the oven and leave to firm up on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Leave to cool, then enjoy with a cup of tea. If you're really feeling reckless, smear on some more Lotus spread before eating. Cor.