Hogweed seeds have a wonderfully aromatic, warming quality. Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy them as a fragrant addition to Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and other festive treats.  I make these wild-spiced biscuits every year. They can be shared with friends and colleagues or given as thoughtful homemade gifts.

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Ingredients (makes about 24 biscuits, depending on size of cutters)

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• 150g unsalted butter 

• 150g dark brown sugar

• 90g black treacle

• 340g plain flour

• 1 tbsp ground hogweed seed spice (alternatively use 1½  tsp cinnamon)

• 2 tsp ground ginger (if not using hogweed seed, use 1½ tbsp)

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

• Splash of milk, if needed

 

Method

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1. Melt the butter, treacle and brown sugar gently in a pan. Let cool slightly.
    

2. In a separate bowl combine the flour with the spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Gradually fold this mixture into the wet mixture and add the splash of milk if the mixture feels too dry.
    

3. Form the dough into a ball shape, divide into two and flatten each into a disc. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
    

4. Preheat the oven to 190°c (170°c fan) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
    

5. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll the discs out to a thickness of ½ cm. Using your favourite festive cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and place on the parchment.
    

6. Bake for around 10 minutes, or until the edges of the biscuits are slightly darker than the centre and the surface looks slightly cracked.
    

7. Let cool on the baking sheets, then decorate as desired. I like to pipe stiff white royal icing on to the biscuits, to add detail.