Coconut Snowballs

100 g/4 oz rolled oats
100 g/4 oz plain wholemeal flour
75 g/3 oz ground almonds
25 g/1 oz icing sugar
100 g/4 oz polyunsaturated margarine
few drops of natural almond essence
Coating:
40 g/11/2 oz desiccated coconut
11/2 tablespoons icing sugar (optional)

Stir together the oats, flour and ground almonds. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the margarine and almond essence and cream together until light and fluffy. Fold in the oat mixture, mixing thoroughly. The dough will be rather sticky at this stage, so allow it to stand in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Shape the mixture into 36 to 40 small balls. Spread the coconut on to a flat dish and roll the balls in the coconut until well coated. Place on an ungreased baking sheet allowing about 3 cm/11/2 inches between the balls. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (i80CI350 °F, Gas Mark 4) for about 15 Minutes.

Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the biscuits to a wire cooling rack. When cold sift the icing sugar over the balls, if liked. MAKES 36 to 40