RECIPE: Cherry almond biscuits

Makes 24
90g butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
60g glace cherries
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 cup plain flour
70g ground almonds

Place butter, sugar, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor.

Process until combined.

Add lemon rind, ground almonds and flour.

Process again.

Finally add cherries and process until they are roughly chopped.

Tip the mixture out and shape into a log.

Wrap in waxed or greaseproof paper, or food-wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 175degC with a shelf in the middle.

Cut slices (about 1cm thick) off the log and arrange them on a greased baking sheet or tray covered by a sheet of baking paper.

Bake them for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer to a rack to cool, then store in a tin.

Meet the cook
Prof Helen Leach's research into New Zealand culinary history includes trawling through numerous community cookbooks. This recipe is adapted from The Best Recipes from Hunter School, Waimate Publishing Co. Ltd n.d. [probably 1980s]. This school is now closed. The original recipe was contributed by Ann Jackson. Helen Leach's cherry almond biscuits.