One for Halloween - Witches' Broomsticks!

Well I couldn't let Halloween go by without at least a cursory nod towards it, now could I?

These clever little biscuits are loved by children of all ages, not least because they contain peanut butter.  They are a little bit fiddly to create, but if you've got a garlic press, making the brush part becomes a whole lot easier.  Oh, and I'd definitely use a hand whisk!

With thanks to DesertWind in the USA, who introduced me to the recipe.

WITCHES' BROOMSTICKS (biscuits)  makes approx 16

Ingredients :

1 cup self-raising flour
a quarter tsp baking powder
1 cup smooth peanut butter
a quarter cup butter or baking margarine
a half cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
16 pretzel rods

Method :

1.  Preheat oven to 190 deg C (fan).

2.  Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat peanut butter, butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Add the egg and egg yolk.

4.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended.

5.  Separate small balls of dough and pass each ball through a garlic press, to make the bristles of the broom.

6.  Gather enough "bristles" together, carefully so as to not disturb the "bristle" effect, and press together one end around a pretzel stick.

7.  Make each broom directly on the baking sheet, then bake for 12 minutes or until brown.  Do not disturb them until cool, then very gently tease them from the baking sheet.

You can either ice them, or leave them natural.

Be prepared for them to disappear very quickly.