Ginger Biscuits with Stilton and Pear Canapés

• 40 g pecans
• 30 g caster sugar
• 10 g salted butter
• 2 sprigs thyme leaves picked
• 1 pear thinly sliced
• 200 g wedge of Stilton sliced to your preferred thickness
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

GINGER NUTS

• 100 g salted butter
• 75 g light brown soft sugar
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 100 g golden syrup
• 250 g self-raising flour
• 1.5 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 small egg yolk

1. Make the ginger nuts first. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, light brown sugar, grated fresh ginger and golden syrup. Warm gently over low–medium heat, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, sift the self-raising flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda, then pour in the butter mixture and add the egg yolk. Mix until just combined, then chill the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes so it firms up slightly.

2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Weigh portions of about 15g, roll into balls and space them on the prepared trays. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden with crisp edges. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. For the candied pecans, place the pecans, caster sugar, butter, thyme leaves and a pinch of salt in a small frying pan. Heat over low–medium heat, stirring frequently for 4–5 minutes until the sugar melts into a glossy coating. Quickly tip the nuts onto a lined tray and use two forks to separate them so they don’t stick together. Leave to cool and harden for about 10 minutes. Be careful — the sugar is very hot.
5. To assemble the canapes, arrange the cooled ginger nuts on a board. Top each biscuit with a thin slice of pear, a slice of Stilton and a candied pecan. Finish with a grind of black pepper and a little extra thyme if you like.