Spiced apple compote with hazelnut biscuits

Method

1. For the biscuits, preheat the oven to 190ºC/fan170ºC/gas 5. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until richly golden. Remove and cool, rub off any skins if need be, then briefly grind the toasted nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl for 4 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Sift over the flour and salt, then stir in, together with the chopped cooled hazelnuts.
3. Knead the dough briefly until smooth, then halve. Roll out one piece thinly (3-4mm thick) between 2 large sheets of cling film, then peel off the top sheet and gently cut the dough into biscuits using a shaped cutter if you wish (don’t cut the cling film). Carefully slide the sheet of cut-outs, still on the cling film, onto a baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
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4. Remove the baking sheets from the fridge and lift the trimmings away from the biscuits. Line the baking sheets with baking paper. Transfer the biscuits to the lined sheets using a spatula and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Set aside. Briefly re-knead and roll out the trimmings, repeating the process to make more biscuits. Cool on the baking sheets and store in an airtight tin.
5. Meanwhile, make the compote. Peel, core and slice the apples and put them in a saucepan with 2 tbsp water, the marmalade, sugar, raisins, sultanas and orange zest. Cover and cook gently, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes until just soft, then uncover, add the lemon zest and mixed spice and cook for a further 5 minutes until the excess juices have evaporated. Leave to go cold, if you wish.
6. Dust the biscuits with the icing sugar and serve with the hot or cold apple compote, with a dollop of whipped cream or with the blackberry cream.