Week 9 of Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Spicy Hazelnut Fingers

This week I was looking for something spicy as we are fast approaching Christmas and I think I found just the thing in these Spicy Hazelnut Fingers by a  great Australian chef Stephanie Alexander in her book "The Cook's Companion". What fun I am having with this Christmas Cookies challenge seeking out and trying new recipes.  How sad it will be when it is all over! But let's not worry about that and instead why don't you whip up a batch of these delicious cookies and be part of the fun. The original recipe called for 60g candied peel, finely chopped which I don't keep on hand because I really don't like it but if that's your taste add it in. It would enhance the lemon icing, I'm sure.

I used my newly purchased silicone baking mats which made lifting the cookies a breeze. Be sure to use silicone coated baking paper if you don't own the mats which will ensure you cookies lift in one piece. I pipe the cookies using a disposable piping bag with the end cut off the appropriate amount. Each cookie was about 5 cm long by about 1.5cm wide. This gave me 55 cookies. Plenty for everyone to enjoy!