Qaghaq tal-Ghasel (Maltese honey rings)
Spiced, dark and sticky Christmas rings with a soft, crumbly pastry and a warm honey and citrus filling.
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.18 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Make the dough. Rub the dairy free spread into the flour, baking powder and caster sugar until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the water and stir to a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Put the golden syrup, honey, brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, mixed spice and the orange and lemon zest in a pan. Heat gently, stirring, for 5 minutes until the sugar melts and it smells warmly spiced. Cool until just warm.
5 min - 3
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- 4
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a rectangle about 15 x 8 cm. Spoon a line of the spiced syrup down the middle, then roll up from the long side to make a sausage, sealing the edge well.
- 5
Bend each sausage into a ring, pressing the ends firmly together. Lay on the trays and snip small cuts across the top with scissors.
- 6
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Brush with any left over syrup while still hot.
25 min - 7
Cool on a rack. The rings keep for a week in a tin and taste even better on day two.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.