These Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits have a nostalgic beauty to them to anyone who grew up in Aotearoa (New Zealand). All of us have had these as a treat at some point in our childhood (or as an adult for that matter). So make them yourself but inject them with the delicious flavours of lemon and white chocolate.
Store bought Hundreds and Thousands biscuits are super simple pikitete pata (shortbread), spread with sweet pani reka (icing) and topped with lots of ruireka (sprinkles). They are good but these lemon and white chocolate versions are joy in a pihikete (biscuit) and are always made for our kids parties. So, let's bake them together!
Want an elevated version of this biscuit?
Ka pai - good. Try these Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits with Marshmallow. They use the same recipe with a homemade māngohe (marshmallow) sandwiched in the centre.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
INGREDIENT TIPS FOR THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS BISCUITS:
- Butter: I prefer salted pata (butter) because of the deep flavour but unsalted works.
- Icing sugar: I use puehu huka (icing sugar) here because it is light in texture and flavour which pairs beautifully with the pihikete rēmana (lemon biscuits).
- Flour: Plain or high grade flour both work in this recipe so use what you have.
- Cornflour: Cornflour gives the biscuit dough a lovely melt in the mouth texture so definitely do not skip this ingredient.
Expert Advice:
Whip the pata (butter) and huka (sugars) for the specified time to ensure a nice rise in the cookies and allow the sugar time to dissolve in to the butter.
Do not overwork the dough once the puheu parāoa (flour) has been added. You don't want to activate the gluten in the dough, just gently bring it together.
Make sure you use all of the dough, keep cutting out the pihikete (biscuits) and roll out the offcuts. It is also deeply important that you eat some of the dough as you go! 😉
If you want an extra pop of flavour, sprinkle over some rahipere tauraki-tio (freeze-dried raspberries). This is optional but works so well with rēmana (lemon) and the tiakarete mā (white chocolate).
Once the biscuits are cut out, place them on the trays and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This helps the pihikete (biscuits) keep their round shape when baking.
Step by Step Instructions for Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Preheat the Oven:
Pre-heat the oven to 165 °C.
Line two large trays with baking paper (re-use the baking paper when rolling out the dough).
2. Whip the Wet Ingredients:
In a large bowl, whip the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar), tote (salt), wanira (vanilla) and kiri rēmana (lemon zest).
Do this for 5 minutes on high until the mixture is pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients:
Add the puehu kānga (cornflour) and plain flour (puehu parāoa noa) to the butter mixture.
Rub it together with your hands until a dough forms. Don't knead it too much here, just do it until it comes together.
4. Roll out the Dough:
Place the dough in-between two large pieces of rautunu (baking paper).
Roll it out until dough is approximately 0.5cm thick.
5. Cut out the Dough:
Use a 5-7 cm cutter to cut out the pihikete (biscuits), and place them on the prepared trays. Leave a 2 cm gap between each one.
Remove the excess dough, roll it out again and continue to roll and cut out the dough until it is all used. Eating some is also an option!
6. Chill the Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits:
Chill the trays of pihikete (biscuits) in the fridge for ten minutes before baking, this helps them keep their shape.
7. Bake the Biscuits:
Bake the trays of cookies, one tray at a time for 10 minutes until slightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8. Melt the Chocolate for the Pink Icing:
Add water to the bottom of a pot (around 3 cm deep) and bring it to a very gentle simmer.
Place a heat proof bowl on top (make sure it does not touch the water) and add the tiakarete mā (white chocolate), noni (oil) and tae kai (food colouring).
Gently melt it all together, stirring occasionally until smooth.
9. Decorate the Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits:
Remove from the heat and add a small teaspoon of the melted chocolate on to three or four of the cooled pihikete (biscuits) at a time.
Decorating 3-4 at a time means the chocolate won't set before you add the sprinkles. Smooth the tops.
Sprinkle with rui reka (sprinkles) and rahipere tauraki-tio (freeze-dried raspberries) if you are using them.
Carry on this pattern until they are all decorated.
10. Chill the Decorated Biscuits:
Allow the tiakarete (chocolate) to set in the fridge for 15 minutes or so and you are ready to party...or just have a cup of tea with this delicious biscuit!
Storing the Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits:
Add the set pihikete (biscuits) in to a sealed container and keep in a cool cupboard or in the fridge.
They will keep for up to a week.
Bring on some more inspiration with these
Pihikete (Biscuit) Recipes
Handheld deliciousness, perfect for every occasion.
DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?
It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page.
I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.
Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits - Pihikete Rau Me Ngā Mano
Ingredients
Shortbread Biscuits - Pihikete Pata
- 200 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ¾ C (125 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- Kiri rēmana o ngā rēmana e rua (lemon zest of two lemons)
- ¼ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wanira (vanilla)
- ¾ C (80 g) puehu kānga (cornflour)
- 1 ½ C (225 g) puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
The Pink Icing - Te Pani Reka Māwhero
- 150 g tiakarete mā (white chocolate, I used caramelised white chocolate but use what you want)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) noni (oil, neutral flavoured)
- ¼ teaspoon tae kai māwhero (pink food colouring)
- 100 g ruireka (sprinkles)
- 8 rahipere tauraki-tio (freeze-dried raspberries, optional)
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Line two large trays with baking paper (re-use the baking paper I use for rolling out the dough).
- Pre-heat the oven to 160 °C.
Whip the Wet Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whip the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar), tote (salt), wanira (vanilla) and kiri rēmana (lemon zest). Do this for 5 minutes on high until the mixture is pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
Add the Dry Ingredients:
- Add the puehu kānga (cornflour) and plain flour (puehu parāoa noa) to the butter mixture. Rub it together with your hands until a dough forms. Don't knead it too much here, just do it until it comes together.
Roll out the Dough:
- Place the dough in-between two large pieces of rautunu (baking paper). Roll it out until dough is approximately 0.5cm thick.
Cut out the Dough:
- Use a 5-7 cm cutter to cut out the pihikete (biscuits), and place them on the prepared trays. Leave a 2 cm gap between each cut out biscuit.
- Remove the excess dough, roll it out again and continue to roll and cut out the dough until it is all used. Eating some is also an option!
Chill the Biscuits:
- Chill the trays of pihikete (biscuits) in the fridge for ten minutes before baking, this helps them keep their shape.
Bake the Biscuits:
- Bake the trays of cookies, one tray at a time for 10 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Melt the Chocolate for the Pink Icing:
- Add water to the bottom of a pot (around 3 cm deep) and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Place a heat proof bowl on top (make sure it does not touch the water) and add the tiakarete mā (white chocolate), noni (oil) and tae kai (food colouring).
- Gently melt it all together, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Decorate the Biscuits:
- Remove from the heat and add a small teaspoon of the melted chocolate on to three or four of the cooled pihikete (biscuits) at a time. Decorating 3-4 at a time means the chocolate won't set before you add the sprinkles. Smooth the tops.
- Sprinkle with rui reka (sprinkles) and rahipere tauraki-tio (freeze-dried raspberries), if you are using them. Carry on this pattern until they are all decorated.
Chill the Decorated Biscuits:
- Allow the tiakarete (chocolate) to set in the fridge for 15 minutes or so and you are ready to party...or just have a cup of tea with this delicious biscuit!
Storing the Hundreds and Thousands Biscuits:
- Add the set pihikete (biscuits) in to a sealed container and keep in a cool cupboard or in the fridge. They will keep for up to a week.
Vanessa Whittingham
Lovely light cookie and super fun to decorate with my tamariki.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
They are so fun aren't they - how awesome that you and your whānau made them together!
Miranda
These were delicious! Even better than the bought version. My boys enjoyed decorating them too.
Eleanor Fletcher
Thank you so much Naomi for this beautiful recipe, you can tell its filled with love. I made these biscuits for my nieces farewell. THEY WERE SO YUMMYYYY! I’ll definitely be making them again.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
What a beautiful farewell treat to make. I am so stoked that you enjoyed them - I love them too. They are playful and full of good flavour!