biscuits

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I pretty much only make 3 types. Cheese straws, and digestive biscuits. & biscotti.

They are for Tony for his cup of afternoon tea.
I make them in the morning, for when he gets back from swimming, and let them cool down. Leaving him to them as I go off to the studio.
Nevertheless, he has only 2 a day - good man!

Now I have a hankering to make speculoos. I was talking to Belgian Endive who brings them back from Brussels.
They have a special spice blend, which I can match with Dan Lepard's recipe: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... kie-recipe

Any other biscuit recipes out there to tempt please?
Your favourites.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Along the same lines Gill, these are one of M's favourites:

Cherry and Almond Biscotti (makes about 60)

1 packet dried cherries
2 tbsp kirsch or brandy
120g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
3 drops vanilla essence
350g strong white bread flour
350g fine plain flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 beaten egg to glaze

1. Plump up the cherries in the kirsch for an hour.

2. Meanwhile cream the butter with half the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is incorporated thoroughly before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla.

3. Sift together the flours, the baking powder and the salt. Fold into the creamed mixture, stir in the nuts and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into quarters. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the work surface, then roll each quarter into a 12-inch log.
Make an indentation along each log with you finger and fill with a quarter of the cherries. Pinch the dough together and roll a few times to seal. Put the logs on a buttered baking sheet.

5. Bake in a pre-heated oven 190°C/375°F/ gas 5, for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Leave the oven on and cool the logs for 10 minutes. Put the logs on a cutting board and slice into « inch diagonal slices. Return the biscotti to the baking sheets, cut side down and cook for a further 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on racks and store in airtight containers.

The biscotti keep well for at least 3 weeks.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I fancy some biscotti, but what's the weight of the dried cherries, Joan? I'm pretty certain a random pack from the supermarket here won't be quite the same as what you'd get there...

[Uschi Profile]

I am fond of macaroons ... no, not the dainty French macarons, but the more pedestrian German version.

Two kinds of macaroons

4 egg-whites,
250 g icing sugar,
200 g desiccated coconut flakes,
50 g chopped unsalted pistachios,
3 drops of bitter almond flavouring,
200g ground almonds,
100 g dried apricots.

1) Whisk egg-whites with icing sugar until stiff. Halve mix.
2) For coconut macaroons add coconut flakes, pistachios and almond flavouring (I don't know how ours compares to yours, but you should really taste it) to one half of the mix.
For the almond macaroons add finely chopped apricots and and ground almonds to the other half of the mix.
3) Preheat oven to 160 °C. Use teaspoon to put dollops of the mix on baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes.

Preparation 50: mins.
Baking time: 20 mins.






Hazelnut Macaroons


4 egg whites
250 g ground hazelnuts
160 g icing sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 bag of shelled hazelnuts (alternatively, chocolate drops are good, too)

Whisk egg whites and the pinch of salt until really, really stiff, fold in the sugar and the ground hazelnuts.

Put little dollops (a smallish teaspoon full) of the mix onto a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Decorate each macaroon with a whole hazelnut and bake in the preheated oven (175° C) for 15 minutes.

[Renée Profile]

Uschi's macaroons are delicious!

[Uschi Profile]

Thanks Renée. It's an old recipe from my childhood.
And they are dead easy to make.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Sorry Sakkers I didn't get back to you. The packets I buy are german and they weigh 120g.

I'm sure M would love your macaroons Uschi. His mother used to make something similar.

He reminded me of these which are really tuilles;

Almond Lace Biscuits (makes 18)

50g unsalted butter
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
50g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp plain flour
50g flaked almonds, roughly chopped

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/gas 7

2. Cream together the butter, the icing sugar and orange zest until the mixture is creamy and pale. Add the flour and almonds and mix well.

3. Line baking trays with non-stick parchment and place « tbsp quantities of the mixture well spaced apart on them. Flatten each with your finger.

4. Cook in the centre of the oven for 4-5 minutes in batches until golden. Remove from the oven, cool slightly then lift each biscuit from the tray with a palette knife and curl over a rolling pin. Cool until crisp, then remove gently. When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Note: I find it easier to work in batches of 4 biscuits a time to give plenty of time to shape the biscuits. If they become too crisp to shape, put them in the oven for a few more seconds to warm and soften.

[Uschi Profile]

Lovely recipe, Joan! I will try them out!!!

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I made some Pumpkin Pie spiced biscuits yesterday. They were adapted from Good Housekeeping's ginger biscuits. Very easy to make using the melting method, although I used a small amount of black treacle instead of the golden syrup specified. Unfortunately I couldn't find the recipe on their website. I have had a couple with a mug of milky coffee this morning and that combination was really good. Last night I blitzed a couple of them in my mini-food processor attachment and used the rubble/dust to sprinkle over some stewed Bramleys & Black Forest berries (from Asda's frozen range) topped with yogurt for pudding last night. Here is the recipe for the biscuits for anyone would like it:

3oz golden caster sugar
1 level tbsp black treacle*
2 oz butter/block margarine
juice and grated rind of 1 clementine
6oz self raising flour
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon**

Preheat oven to 180 deg C/Gas Mark 4 and grease two baking trays

Gently heat the sugar, treacle, clementine juice and rind and butter/block margarine in a largeish pan until melted and combined. Leave to cool for a few minutes

Sift in the flour and spices and mix until smooth

Dollop rounded teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays and flatten down with an oiled glass or fork. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes

The recipe states you should make 24 biscuits but I only got 17 or 18 out of it.

* You can use golden syrup instead of treacle if you prefer. However, space the dollops of mixture well apart because they will spread out more so won't need flattening!

** If you are not that fond of cinnamon or heavily spiced biscuits then leave it out (or add a bit more ground mixed spice of you prefer it)

EDIT: to add ingredient that I forgot to mention earlier, sorry everyone who's already read this!

[Sakkarin Profile]

The biscotti keep well for at least 3 weeks.

I don't believe you. I doubt they'd last 2 days.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

My latest incursion into the biscuit world ( I can now proudly say I prepare TWO varieties) is Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. Very easy to make ( otherwise my efforts would be useless; I`m no baker) and infinitely moreish.

[Rainbow Profile]

They sound good, KK, and I like easy to make biscuits!
Can you post your recipe, please?

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Oh thank you.
Just 2 more days of push, then I'm taking some time off. In the kitchen.

I'll make a couple of batches of biscuits.

And I agree, Rainbow.
Easy biscuits is the way to go.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

I'm no help - I'm not a biscuit fan, must be years since I've eaten one - but I know a man who is - so I'd be interested in easy peasy recipes too!

Have you been working your b*t off for an exhibition Grillers.....?

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I have another easy biscuit recipe as follows, which may remind some of you of your school dinners! A friend of mine shared it on Facebook and Mr Strictly asked me to make some, which I promptly did. It's the good old, aptly-named Chocolate 'Concrete'; they do firm up once cold and have that chewy/crunchy texture that those of us of a certain age will remember if they were part of your school dinners! They are really good dunking biccies or can be served as a pudding with warm runny custard:

CHOCOLATE 'CONCRETE'

100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter/baking spread
50g cocoa powder

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180 deg C and grease a 7 inch shallow square tin

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add all the remaining dry ingredients. Mix together until evenly combined.

Melt the butter/baking spread in a small saucepan and then stir it into the dry ingredients.

Pile mixture into the tin and press down until level with the back of a tablespoon.

Bake for 15 minutes and cut into 9 squares once it's out of the oven. Leave to cool in the tin before removing them and then store in an airtight box or tin.

Note to Gill - both these and the Pumpkin Pie Spiced biscuit recipe I added above are not too sweet, so I hope Tony will like them. The spiced biscuits are probably not too dissimilar to the Speculoos recipe that you proved the link for.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Earwig ho:

180 gms softened butter
100 gms white sugar
100 gms brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
475 gms all porpoise flour
1 tsp baking powder ( gunpowder won´t do)
1 tsp salt
440 gms oats
2 tsps vanilla essence
250 gms chocolate chips

Cream the butter and the sugar till fluffy. Beat in the eggs and mix until smooth.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture .
Stir in the oats, vanilla and chocolate chips.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF ( about 180ºC).
Drop half-tablespoon lumps on to a greased baking sheet (or silicone baking sheet)
Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until browned.

Should make about 45-50 bikkies, which will probably last about the same time as the the quantity....

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Clive, dynamite biscuits! (see what I did there .... oh please yourselves)

Yep, Lush.
Just been to Chelsea for an exhibit, just finishing another here tomorrow
& I met up with Lucinda. We didn't have biscuits though.

The only other commitment I have is a jolly basket weaving course in December.
I plan to make a bicycle basket for the front of my foldy unless another idea comes to mind.

Thanks for the additional concretes too, Strictly.

[Uschi Profile]

In Germany a "bunter Teller", a colourful plate (full of biscuits) is a must. Of course, one can buy them, but many still love making their own. Not every biscuit has to be colourful, but a few should be. I love iced butter biscuits and since you have such lovely food colours in Britain maybe I should share my iced biscuits recipe.
Best Cutter Biscuits


400g plain flour

1 pinch salt

125 g sugar

2 tblsp. vanilla sugar

1 tsp. lemon zests

250 g cold butter (unsalted)

2 egg yolks



1) Knead flour, salt, sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon zests, butter and egg yolks into a smooth dough, working quickly.

Wrap in Cling foil and leave in the fridge for 60 minutes to cool.

Preheat oven to 175°C.

Line baking sheets with baking paper.



2) Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface (a silicone mat is ideal) and cut out biscuits.

(if you have trouble with the dough sticking to the rolling pin use two lengths of cling foil over the dough. With a bit of practice this works very well.

Transfer biscuits to the baking sheets and bake for five to ten minutes depending on the thickness. I bake mine until they show the barest hint of golden brown and then whip them out, leaving them on the tray for a few minutes more before transferring them to a cake grid to cool.


Once cool they can be decorated with icing, chocolate and whatever else you fancy.


These biscuits will keep for weeks in a tight fitting tin.

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Variation: you can also use this dough to make "jammy dodgers". Roll the dough out thinly, use simple shapes (you can cut a hole into the top biscuits, again simple shapes are best) bake as usual and then spread a little jam or jelly onto them. I always heat the jam in the microwave.

Redcurrant jelly is great as it adds some tartness, but apricot is another favourite. If you want to use marmalade, you can knead some lime and lemon zest into the dough and sprinkle some into the marmelade for the ultimate citrussy kick.

I also have some easy nut biscuits, ginger biscuits, and jam filled "angel eye" recipes if anyone is interested.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Thanks for your recipes KKA and Uschi!

Please could you provide your other ones that you mentioned Uschi. I also love the sound of your citrus dodgers too

[Uschi Profile]

Clare, I haven't translated the ginger biscuits yet. I will try to do it tomorrow. They are "sausage biscuits" i.e. you roll strands of dough, chill them and then cut them into slices which are then baked.
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I really like these ones. They are fairly easy to make, but utterly delicious.

Nut Slices

Dough:

250 g unsalted butter
250 g plain flour
100 g potato or cornstarch (any starch will do)
1 heaped teaspoon vanilla sugar (or enough vanilla essence for the amount)
1 level teaspoon baking powder
125 g ground hazelnuts,
1 pinch salt,

Garnish:
1 tblsp cocoa powder
3 tblsp sugar

Make the ingredients into a dough and form sausages of 1 and a half inch thickness and roll these in a mix of the cocoa and sugar.
Put into the fridge (separated by baking paper or clingfoil) for about an hour and then cut into half a centimeter thick slices. Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C (keep an eye on them, depending on the oven they can take more or less).

The sausages will sometimes be too soft (stop snickering) and the slices will not be round, in that case five minutes in the freezer will do the trick.

We adapted the recipe and used a small dollop of hazelnut couverture (white or milk chokolate will do just as well) and stuck half a walnut onto each biscuit after they had cooled off.
In a tin they will keep for weeks. Not only that, a little rest sees them beautifully matured and even better than fresh.

Nusstaler by natterjack3, auf Flickr

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For a bit of colour and some jam try these:

Angel Eyes or Hussar's Buttons

250 g soft, unsalted butter
125 g sugar
1 tblsp vanilla sugar (or just add whatever vanilla flavouring you have)
4 egg yolks
380 g plain flour

100 g jam or jelly of your choice

Cream butter and sugar (+ vanilla) until whitish, then add egg yolks and cream until fluffy. Add flour bit by bit (I abandon the mixer halfway through and do the rest by hand) until your dough is smooth.

Make dough into small balls of about half an inch or an inch in diameter. Use your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon (or any other implement that will give you a round dimple in the right size) to make a dimple into the balls. Then fill with jelly and leave to stand in the cool for 30 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes.