Gluten Free Mint Slice

Another classic New Zealand biscuit. I can't stop. I won't stop. The Mint Slice, I've been told, has a similar taste to a the Girl Guide cookie 'Thin Mints', but having never tried a Thin Mint, I will disregard them, and tell you that the Mint Slice is a far superior biscuit anyway.

If you've followed my Squiggle recipe, you'll be pleased to know this is much simpler, and takes less than half the time. This is the break down:

• The Biscuit - a plain cocoa sugar cookie that needs to be crunchy.

• The Mint - this is mostly icing sugar with the tiniest dash of peppermint flavour. The stuff is potent, don't go sticking you nose in.

• Chocolate Shell - melted dark chocolate with just a smidge of coconut oil to help it set.

Making is Vegan? No problem!

To make vegan mint slices all you need to do is swap out the butter for a dairy free butter like 'Pure' or 'Naturli'. Instead of using dairy milk, use a dairy free alternative like almond or rice at a 1:1 ratio. And lastly, to coat the biscuits, all you will need to vegan dark chocolate (which is pretty easy to find).

I N G R E D I E N T S

For the biscuit

• 75 grams butter

• 1/4 cup caster sugar

• 150 grams of gluten free flour

• 2 Tbsps of cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

• 1 tbsp milk

Peppermint Icing

• 2 cups of icing sugar

• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

• 3 Tbsp milk

Chocolate Shell

• 150 grams dark chocolate (50-60%)

• 50 grams milk chocolate

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

M E T H O D

1. Make the biscuit: Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add the flour, cocoa, milk, baking powder, and xanthan gum and mix again until you can form a ball.

3. Wrap the ball in cling film and put into fridge for half and hour.

4. When chilled, dust a surface with flour, and roll out dough until about 3mm thick.

5. Using a circle cookie cutter about 4-5cm in diameter, cut out cookies until you have used all the dough.

6. Place on a lined baking tray, and bake at 180° celsius for 10 minutes, or until slightly darker around the edges. You may need to do this in 2 lots. Once cooked, let the cookies cool completely.

7. Make the peppermint icing: Combine icing sugar, milk, and peppermint extract in bowl, and mix until it becomes a fondant texture and can be rolled into a ball without sticking. You may need to adjust the recipe with a splash more milk, or a quarter cup of icing sugar to get the desired texture.

8. Roll out the fondant, dusting with a little bit of icing sugar to keep from sticking, until it is the same thickness as the biscuits.

9. Using the same cookie cutter as the biscuits, cut out the fondant, and place each circle onto a cooled biscuit. Repeat until all biscuits are covered.

10. Make the chocolate shell: Melt the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and the coconut oil in a bowl over top of a pot of boiling water.

11. Take it off the heat once melted and let it slightly cool slightly before dipping.

12. Dip the prepared biscuits into the melted chocolate, making sure they are fully covered and then place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

13. Once all biscuits are coated, place in fridge for 2-3 hours, or until fully set.