Spiced Hogweed Seed Biscuits

Hogweed Seed Recipe

I no longer recommend this plant be served to the public.

This plant is not for beginners. Never eat raw. Always wear gloves when gathering.

Please read these important Safety Notes.

Hogweed seed (Heracleum sphondylium) is a unique, but delightful new taste sensation.

This recipe combines the subtle flavours of ginger and cinnamon with the strongly aromatic flavour of Hogweed seed to produce a scrummy, moist biscuit that will delight your family and friends.

WARNING: Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) is part of the Carrot family and as such you must be 500% certain that you have identified this plant correctly. You must also gather it with gloves on as the sap can burn you. This is completely destroyed by cooking.

Do NOT eat this plant raw! Definitely not a plant for novice foragers to start playing around with. Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), is highly poisonous, and even brushing against it can give some people very serious burns.

Not everyone can eat this plant – some people experience severe reactions to it – You MUST conduct a safety tolerance test, before ever eating this plant. I don’t care what other foragers say. My advise comes from over 10 years of working with Hogweed.

Read my article: Foraging Safety Guidelines For Eating Wild Edible Plants.

Hogweed Seed Recipe Ingredients

  • 140g butter
  • 50g light brown sugar
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1tbsp blackstrap molasses
  • 150g plain flour
  • ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp ground hogweed seed
  • 1tsp cinnamon

Hogweed Seed Recipe Instructions

  1. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg yolk and molasses and beat in well.
  3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices together.
  4. Add the creamed mixture and stir in with a wooden spoon until amalgamated.
  5. Lay a sheet of cling film on the work surface.
  6. Tip the contents of the bowl on top and form into a rough log about 15cm long and 4cm in diameter.
  7. Wrap tightly in cling film and roll into a smooth log.
  8. Put in fridge for at least 30 minutes or when needed. It could also be frozen and used at a later date. If baking from frozen cook for 2-3 minutes longer.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180C. Gas mark 4.
  10. Cut the log into 5mm slices (or 2 x £1 coints).
  11. Place the slices on a baking tray, lined with parchment, allowing for spreading.
  12. Bake for 10 minutes when they should feel dry when lightly touched but will still be soft.
  13. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack before storing in an air-tight container.

Makes 25 biscuits