Something guilt free after dinner

The other night I had a friend over for dinner who was watching her sugar intake. I had some dates and almonds in the cupboard so I made some biscuits for after dinner. Biscuits are nice and social, and not as much commitment as a cake or bowl of icecream. It means the conversation can continue around the couch with a cuppa in one hand and a biccie in the other. 

Easy, social and sweet!

I love dates and almonds when it comes to something low sugar. They're full of fibre, b-complex vitamins, and iron just to name a few things. You also get a rich texture and flavour without too much compromise, especially when you throw some spices into the mix. 

This is so quick, you can put it together in about 10 minutes if you don't count the 10 minutes it spends in the fridge firming up.

Date and Almond Biscuits

makes 12

1 1/2 cups plain flour*

1tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

3 level tblsp brown sugar

8 pitted dates rinsed and chopped

8 almonds coarsely chopped
1/4 cup grapeseed oil**

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 160C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Sift dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl.

Add grapeseed oil and slowly add the milk. Knead the dough in the bowl until it becomes a nice firm ball.*** Add a splash of milk if it's still too dry.

Shape into a cylinder, wrap with baking paper, and refrigerate for about 10 mins.  Remove from the fridge and cut the dough into 12 biscuits. Bake on the lined tray for about 15 mins or until slightly golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

There you have it. A low sugar dessert. You'll be enjoying the biccies and talking so much you wont even notice you've missed out on cheesecake and icecream!

* For extra fibre use wholegrain four

** I used grapeseed oil as it is natural and doesn't flavour the biscuits like olive oil. That's what I had in the cupboard but any vegetable oil will do, or you could just use butter.

*** This might sound lazy but it beats the hell out of flouring your bench and getting it all over the floor and your nice clothes. It's the last thing you want when someone's about to knock on your door. Contain the mess by using a bowl which is large enough to get your hands in to knead the dough. You'll save on flour and carbo's. 

**** You can make this dough and store it in the freezer. Just wrap it in baking paper, cover in foil and freeze. When you want to bake the biscuits just let it thaw until the dough feels slightly soft when pressed, cut and bake in a preheated 160C oven.

***** for extra colour throw a small handful of coarsely chopped pistachios into the mix