Queen Esther's Poppy Seed Biscuits

Please Remember: Kitchens are dangerous places full of sharp implements and high temperatures. You should always have an adult with you when you are cooking. Do not try to make Queen Esther's Poppy Seed Biscuits without the full permission and close supervision of an adult (preferably with one of your parents). Always take care around sharp knives and hot liquids. Concentrate on what you are doing and have fun!

Jews have not been eating Queen Esther's Poppyseed Biscuits at Purim for nearly as long as they have eaten Hamantaschen, however these are very popular with Jewish people all over the world at Purim. The poppy seeds remind us that it is said that when Esther was taken to live in the Royal Palace and be Queen, she ate nuts and seeds rather than eat the unclean food of the Persian Court. The biblical dietary laws were so important to Esther that she kept them even when she was Queen of Persia. Queen Esther probably didn't eat poppy seed biscuits quite like these, but these are easy to make and very popular at Purim Parties!


Ingredients:


To make Queen Esther's Poppy Seed Biscuits:
  • Measure the flour, baking powder and salt out carefully. It is important to be accurate.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Set flour mix aside.
  • Measure the butter or margarine and sugar out carefully. Remember that it is important to be accurate.
  • Carefully use a wooden spoon or an electric mixer to cream the butter or margarine and sugar together. Cream until light and fluffy.
  • Crack the egg, check that it is fresh and has no blood in it. Measure out the vanilla and almond essence. Measure out the warm water. It is important to be accurate in measuring the liquids.
  • Mix the egg, vanilla and almond essence and water into the fluffy creamed mix and beat until smooth.
  • Measure out the poppy seeds. Try to be accurate, but don't worry if you end up with a few too many poppy seeds!
  • Mix the poppy seeds into the smooth butter or margarine, sugar and egg mix.
  • Carefully stir the sifted flour mix into the poppy seed mix. Make sure that everything is well mixed. The biscuit dough will be stiff - add a little extra water if it is too stiff to mix.
  • Wrap plastic cling film over the top of the bowl of biscuit dough and place in the 'fridge. Leave to chill for one hour.
  • When the biscuit dough has chilled, carefully turn the cooker onto a medium heat to warm up.
  • Sprinkle plenty of flour onto a clean work surface.
  • Split the chilled biscuit dough in half. Use a rolling pin to roll one half of the biscuit dough out to about a quarter inch thickness.
  • Use a two and a half inch cookie cutter to cut biscuits from the biscuit dough. Circles, stars and hearts are fun to make!
  • Rework left-over biscuit dough and remaining half of biscuit dough to make more biscuits. Don't forget to keep your work-surface well-floured!
  • When biscuits are cut, place them carefully on a lined or greased baking tray. Leave a few inches between them because they will expand while cooking.
  • Cook biscuits in cooker for ten to fifteen minutes. Biscuits should be golden in the middle and light brown round the edges.
  • Carefully transfer cooked biscuits to a cooling rack to cool.
  • When all the biscuits are cooked, turn the cooker off.
  • Serve Queen Esther's Poppy Seed Biscuits at your Purim Party!

Notes:
  • If you do not have time to let your biscuit dough chill for an hour in the 'fridge, you can let it quick-chill in the freezer for half an hour. Be careful not to let the biscuit dough chill in the freezer for too long or you will have frozen biscuit dough!
  • Queen Esther's Poppy Seed Biscuits freeze very well. They can be made well ahead of Purim, then taken out of the freezer and thoroughly thawed on the day of your Purim Party!

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