Another have to have at South African tea time or coffee time is the Soetkoekie

A traditional South African Biscuit or Cookie

Soetkoekies (sweet biscuits) are spicy biscuits, flavoured with wine. They are very traditional and well-loved in South-Africa.

My mother baked soetkoekies in large batches and they bring fond childhood memories of helping with the baking.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 ml) flour
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• zest of an orange or mandarin (naartjie)
• ¾ cup (180 to 200 ml) sugar
• ½ cup (110 gram) butter
• 1 egg
• ¾ teaspoon (4 ml) bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ cup (50 ml) sherry, port or sweet wine (or replace with 2 tablespoons brandy and 2 tablespoons milk)
• Egg white for glazing

Method

1. Dissolve bicarbonate of soda in sweet wine.
2. Combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture.
4. Add the beaten eggs and bicarbonate of soda mixture, and mix dough together until it is a firm dough.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to approximately 5 mm thick.
7. Cut the dough into forms with a cookie cutter.
8. Arrange them about 3 cm apart on a buttered cookie sheet.
9. Brush each biscuit gently with the egg white.
10. Bake for 15 minutes- until golden brown.
11. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

I tell you there is nothing like these dunked in coffee first thing in the morning sitting at a camp fire or while fishing on a cold morning with a flask of coffee