Name: Swiss Brunzli Chocolate and Cinnamon Biscuits
Ingredients: 500g ground almonds; 500g sugar; 250g dark chocolate, grated or chopped finely; 3 soup spoons cinnamon; 4-6 soup spoons plain flour; 6 eggs, separated; Icing sugar for dusting - need almost a cup; Preheat oven 150°C.

“It's the chocolate balls, and usually we only give this recipe away to family members, but we shall make an exception for Chelsey” – Felix Egli’s Swiss mother.

It is a privilege to have received this authentic, family recipe.

A thin crusted layer on the outside to contrast the lovely soft texture inside. The heady smell of cinnamon is lovely around the house while they are cooking and as you open the tin.

These are wonderful biscuits that I make regularly - follow the recipe amounts to adhere to the balance between the cinnamon and chocolate -regardless of whether you adjust the balance, all variations are fantastic!

The recipe makes a huge batch – you could freeze half or pass them around as special homemade presents.

Makes 75 – 80. V. Freezes well.

Pictured: Brunzlis Swiss Chocolate Cinnamon Balls, fresh out of the oven

Method

Mix all ingredients well, apart from the egg whites, i.e. include the 6 egg yolks.

Whisk 6 egg whites, til fluffy and add to the mixture gently. Work this dough by hand till well mixed.

Form small balls by hand, a bit smaller than walnut size, roll through icing sugar.

Pictured: Brunzlis Swiss Chocolate Cinnamon Balls, ready for the oven

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 - 30 minutes, depending on your oven, until the balls go flat and slightly rip apart.

They should be dry outside but still a bit wet inside.

Dough freezes well.

Pictured: Tin of Brunzlis

TasteTip – Cinnamon comes from the bark of a tree native to Sri Lanka, distantly related to the bay laurel. As the bark is cut it curls. It is then dried and rolled up to make a tube. Ceylon and Sri Lankan cinnamon coil into a single spiral, whereas cassia or Southeast Asian/Chinese cinnamon (the stronger flavoured) coil into a double spiral.

It is a warm, sweet spice sold dry as sticks and as a powder - trying to grind your own from the bark is difficult to get fine enough, and it is best to buy ground cinnamon in small quantities because the freshness and flavour disappear quickly.

It's a classic in baked goods like pastries, buns, cakes, and puddings. Break a stick in half and add to a poaching syrup for fruits such as pears, apples or use it to infuse wine or punch.

Cinnamon bark is also used to flavour savoury dishes like meat, poultry and vegetable stews or added to marinades or rice dishes.

Mexicans use cinnamon to flavour chocolate in cooking and in drinks.

Balinese like to stir their coffee with a cinnamon stick.