While you're waiting for the Christmas festivities to begin, discover the real recipe for Swedish Christmas shortbread, "Pepparkakor", revisited with a touch of chocolate.

Ingredients - around 150 biscuits

• 200g butter
• 160g whole cane sugar
• 160g liquid honey
• 1 tea spoon of ground cloves
• 2 tea spoon of ground cinnamon
• 2 tea spoon of  ground ginger
• 2 tablespoon of hot chocolate mix 
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 560g flour

Preparation

1. Place the chopped butter and whole cane sugar in a bowl. Bring the honey to the boil and pour over the butter and sugar. Mix well.

2. Add all the spices and the hot chocolate mixture to the butter and sugar. Add the bicarbonate of soda previously dissolved in a little water. Gradually add the flour to the mixture until you have a dough that is not too sticky. Place the dough in the fridge, preferably overnight.

3. The next day: roll out the dough as thinly as possible and use cookie cutters to create the cakes.

4. Place the cakes on a baking tray covered with baking parchment.

5. Bake for about 8 minutes at 175°C (or 200°C).

6. Icing: Beat 1 egg white, icing sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until creamy and fairly thick. Put the mixture in a plastic bag, make a tiny hole and decorate the cakes.