Grandmother's Chocolate Biscuits

Here is a recipe for Chocolate Biscuits, also known as "can't stop eating them" according to my youngest daughter. In spite of their simplicity (or perhaps because of it) our family has baked these for birthday celebrations and other holidays for generations. According to the younger members of our clan the dough is also delicious to eat as it is, or to crumble into ice cream for a Ben&Jerry's type treat. Swedish eggs are safe to eat uncooked, but if your want to eat the raw dough and this is a concern simply leave the egg out.

Ingredients:

200 g butter, softened (as in most Swedish baking we don't use unsalted butter)
100 g sugar
300 g plain wheat flour
1 egg
3 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 tablespoons vanilla powder 

To finish:

1 egg white, whisked
chopped almonds

Method:

Whisk the butter until it is fluffy.

Mix together sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla sugar, and add this to the butter, along with the egg.

Mix in the flour just until a dough forms, don't overwork it!

Turn the dough out onto a table dusted with flour. Roll it into two even rolls, and chill until firm.

Slice the two dough rolls into six. Roll these out into thick fingers, each the length of a baking tray.

Grease two baking trays, or cover with baking parchment. Place three "fingers" on each baking tray, with some space in between each.

Flatten each "finger" to approximately 3-5 mm thickness.

Brush with eggwhite and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Press lightly so the almond pieces stick.

Bake in 200 degrees Celcius (390 Farenheit) on middle rack, for 8-12 minutes, depending on thickness.

They should brown slightly around the edges and smell nice and chocolatey.

Take out of the oven and slice into one inch biscuits whilst warm. Try not to eat them all at once!