Bones (Ghadam)
 
Cook time
Total time
 
I took a template from the internet in the shape of a bone to help shape the biscuit (6 cm x 10 cm). You can also use your fingers but I prefer this way. If you can buy a bone cutter then even better. I flavoured my biscuits with orange, lemon and aniseed. You can also flavour the biscuits with cardamon, cloves, orange blossom water and vanilla. I ice my biscuits with royal icing which help further to give the resemblance of bones but you can eat them without the icing if you prefer. Makes 18 biscuits.
Author:
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients
  • For the pastry:
  • 400 grams flour
  • 200 grams butter cut into cubes
  • 150 grams castor sugar
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 1 orange zest
  • 2 egg yolks
  • For the filling:
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 150 grams almonds
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 1 orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons lightly crushed aniseed
  • For decorating:
  • 1 egg white
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • 270 grams sifted icing sugar
Instructions
  1. In a food processor put in the flour and butter and mix until their is a bread crumb resemblance.
  2. Add in the sugar, lemon and orange zest. Mix gently.
  3. Add in the 2 egg yolks and mix until a dough is formed. If the dough is a little too dry then add in a little of one of the egg whites.
  4. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for at least two hours.
  5. In a large bowl mix all of the filling ingredients. A soft paste is formed.
  6. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for at least two hours.
  7. Once the time has passed remove from the dough and filling from the fridge.
  8. Preheat the oven to 200oC.
  9. Lightly flour a table and rolling pin. Roll out the dough till it is quite thin but not too thin.
  10. Cut out 36 equal size bone shapes.
  11. Place 18 shapes on a tray lined with baking paper (I needed to use two trays).
  12. Fill each of the shapes with almond filling (refer to my images which displays how I filled the biscuits).
  13. Cover each of the filled biscuits with remaining pieces of the bone shaped pastry. Press firmly but gently to seal the biscuits.
  14. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. They should be lightly brown in colour. If necessary you may need to bake them for a further two minutes. Be careful not to overcook them.
  15. Allow to cool.
  16. Prepare the royal icing by mixing the icing sugar, egg white and lemon juice.
  17. Once the biscuits have cooled, with a knife spread the icing sugar on the top part of the biscuits to evenly cover.
  18. Allow the icing to set.
Recipe by A Maltese Mouthful at https://www.amaltesemouthful.com/bones-ghadam-remembrance-deceased/