Delicious Afghan Biscuits

There is no more of a treat than a good old fashioned Afghan to nibble on with your afternoon cup of tea. With a busy week ahead, projects to mark and Faculty Meeting to arrange, I need a mass stash of nibbles to call on.

This recipe is from the old Edmond's Cookbook. In the new edition, some of the recipes have been changed in the name of reduced fat and sugar, so an old version is definitely worth hanging on to if you value the 'old fashioned' taste. I have converted the recipe to metric measurements. The following recipe can be successfully doubled:

Afghans

175g butter
75g caster sugar
150g flour
2 heaped tablespoons cocoa
50g cornflakes

Preheat the oven to 175deg. C
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Fold in the sifted flour and cocoa.
Stir in the cornflakes - I crush them first.
Either roll into small balls or pipe onto a lined oven tray.
Flatten a little and bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool completely before topping with chocolate icing and a walnut.

I am always too impatient and time poor to roll the biscuits into balls, so always resort to piping the biscuits onto the trays.
Just make sure you crush the cornflakes or they get stuck in the end of the piping bag.

 Once you have piped them out, press each biscuit down a little. Use wet hands or the mixture will stick.

For the icing combine:
50g soft butter
approximately 1 cup icing sugar
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa
enough water to combine to a spreadable mix

Spread on each biscuit and top with a walnut.

 And now my friends, the day is done; time for a cup of tea, a sweet treat and a lie down.