Pear and ginger biscuits

The sun came out long enough for me to take a pic. Then it disappeared. Fabric from the tempting Frangipani Fabrics

A cold grey day. Too many cups of tea, to keep warm. Too much hot buttered toast, instead of proper meals. The neighbourhood eerily quiet, save the rude squawk of a wattle bird.

A dull day requires something bright to lift the spirits, and these pear and ginger biscuits are just the ticket. They are really fruit-studded shortbreads, with their light, crisp texture (thanks, I'm sure, to using icing sugar rather than normal sugar). The sweet-tang of the dried pear and the heat of the glace ginger (which looks like little chunks of golden amber) is a wonderful pairing. The kitchen had a rich warmth in the air; the perfume of pear was unmistakable.

These are morish little bites. You'll want one, then another, then just one more. And perhaps yet another cup of tea to go with them.

Pear and ginger biscuits
Adapted from an Australian Women's Weekly recipe

• Prepare baking sheets. Preheat oven to 180.
• Cream 200 grams of soft butter, a generous half teaspoon of vanilla, plus 1 cup of icing sugar, sifted.
• The recipe actually calls for an egg at this stage too, but I just realised - I left it out! My biscuits turned out fine.
• Add 1 and 3/4 cups of plain flour, sifted, then 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb of soda, then two heaped spoons of almond meal.
• Then add 1/4 cup of finely chopped dried pear and 1/4 cup finely chopped glace ginger.
• Roll into walnut sized balls, flatten slightly, place on your trays. I got 34 biscuits.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then cool on racks, and enjoy!