Lemon Biscuits

I was planning on making some Lemon Curd this past weekend which I unfortunately didn't get round to. I'm hoping to make this in the coming days so watch this space. The good thing is the lemon curd driven purchase provided me with an abundance of lemons. So yesterday while hubby was in Frankfurt for the day on business I baked these Lemon Biscuits to pass the time. This recipe with its all in one method made it quick to assemble and the dough was a delight to work with, which is always more enjoyable. These zesty and buttery biscuits are simply irresistible and very moreish, you can't stop at one! A must bake for any lemon lover.


Lemon Biscuits

Makes 30-35

Ingredients
325g plain flour
200g butter, chilled and chopped
125g golden caster sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 egg yolks
200g icing sugar

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Whizz the flour and butter to breadcrumbs in a food processor, add the sugar, lemon zest and egg yolks and process to a dough. Roll out the dough to 5mm thick and cut out biscuits. Put on a buttered baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cool.

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with enough lemon juice to make a runny icing. Drizzle the lemon icing over the biscuits.

Easter Biscuits

Today I've started my Easter baking festivities with these Easter Biscuits which I made a couple of years ago and never got round to baking them last year. These spicy fruited biscuits are a traditional English gift, given to guests on Easter Sunday and originates from the west country. These moreish biscuits are quick and easy to whip up and provide a refreshing accompaniment to a cup of afternoon tea!

Easter Biscuits

Makes 10-15

Ingredients

100g butter

80g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

150g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice

100g currants

1 extra tbsp caster sugar

To make the biscuits, heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice.Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well with a knife. Mix in the currants, squishing the dough together and kneading briefly until smooth, allowing the warmth of your hands to soften it.

Roll out finely on a lightly floured bench (best done under a sheet of clingfilm) and cut into 6cm or 8cm rounds with a plain or fluted biscuit-cutter.

Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 min until just cooked, but not browned.

Carefully transfer to a wire rack — the biscuits should still be a little soft but will become crisp as they cool.

Anzac Biscuits

I’ve always wanted to make these Anzac biscuits and today I decided to make them and restock the cake tin (yes the brownies are all gone). These iconic biscuits were originally made by women during World War I and sent to the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Gallipoli. These popular sweet biscuits are crunchy and chewy, and made using rolled oats, flour, coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water. They are traditionally eaten on April 25th, which is Anzac Day but I could easily eat these all year round. I have a feeling they won’t last long and the cake tin will have to be restocked come the weekend!

Anzac Biscuits

Makes 20

Ingredients
85g porridge oats
85g desiccated coconut
100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter, plus extra butter for greasing
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the golden syrup. Add the bicarbonate of soda to 2 tbsp boiling water, then stir into the golden syrup and butter mixture.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter and golden syrup mixture. Stir gently to incorporate the dry ingredients.
Put dessertspoonfuls of the mixture on to buttered baking sheets, about 2.5cm/1in apart to allow room for spreading. Bake in batches for 8-10 mins until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Wholemeal Shortbread Biscuits

Biscuits we all love them don’t we? I definitely do and what better accompaniment is there to a cup of tea, after all tea and biscuits go hand in hand! This morning I decided to stick to my promise of baking more biscuits and cookies. Some recipes can be so quick and easy, with an end result that is far superior to shop-bought. I made the Wholemeal Shortbread Biscuits from Rachel Allen’s Favourite Food at Home; these golden biscuits are not too sweet or too savoury and full of wholesome goodness. If you love digestives, these are like a lighter version and simply delicious!

Tea and biscuit anyone?

Wholemeal Shortbread Biscuits

Makes about 20

Ingredients
75g/3oz wholemeal flour
75g/3oz plain flour
100g/4oz butter, softened
50g/2oz caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC fan oven/350oF/Gas mark 4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and whiz until the mixture almost comes together and resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Then tip onto the work surface and bring it together with your hands. If you are not using a food processor, rub the butter into the combined flour and sugar in a bowl and bring together with your hands.

Sprinkle your work surface with a little flour (brown or white) and roll out the dough until it is about 5mm/ ¼in thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut into whatever shapes you like. Transfer onto a baking tray (no need to grease or line) and bake in the oven for 6-10 minutes depending on the size, or until they are pale golden and feel firm on top. Remove carefully and cool on a wire rack.

Rocky Road Crunch Bars

I was watching a recent episode of Nigella Express and watched Nigella making this simple and very tasty recipe for Rocky Road Crunch Bars. I can’t believe I’ve never made this classic combo before today and it’s one of those popular bars that most of us remember from our childhood. These bars are an indulgent chocolate treat and packed with yummy ingredients. I used white and pink marshmallows, only because I love pink and I thought the pink studded through the bars makes it look pretty! Be warned these bars are rich and sweet but no kid or adult would be able to refuse a slice of this sinful piece of sheer pleasure.

Rocky Road Crunch Bars

Ingredients
125g/4½oz soft unsalted butter
300g/10½oz best-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3 tbsp golden syrup
200g/7¼oz rich tea biscuits
100g/3½oz mini marshmallows
2 tsp icing sugar, to dust

Method
Heat the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat. Remove from the heat, scoop out about 125ml/4½fl oz of the melted mixture and set aside in a bowl.
Place the biscuits into a plastic freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin until some have turned to crumbs but there are still pieces of biscuit remaining.
Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, then add the marshmallows.
Tip the mixture into a 24cm/9in square baking tin and smooth the top with a wet spatula.Pour over the reserved 125ml/4½fl oz of the melted chocolate mixture and smooth the top with a wet spatula.
Refrigerate for about two hours or overnight.
To serve, cut into 24 fingers and dust with icing sugar.

Easter Biscuits

I am starting the Easter festivities with these Easter Biscuits, I’ve never made them up until today and I will definitely be making them again. The biscuits were so easy and quick to make, a lightly spiced, currant-studded, soft biscuit with a sugary crunch. These biscuits traditionally are served after church on Easter Sunday, and are presented in a bundle of three biscuits to represent the Holy Trinity. I will be serving mine with a pot of hot tea. The perfect mid-afternoon biscuit!

Easter Biscuits

Prep: 20 min Cook: 15 min

Makes 10-15

Ingredients

100g butter

80g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

150g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

1tsp mixed spice

100g currants

1 extra tbsp caster sugar

To make the biscuits, heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk. Sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well with a knife. Mix in the currants, squishing the dough together and kneading briefly until smooth, allowing the warmth of your hands to soften it.

Roll out finely on a lightly floured bench (best done under a sheet of clingfilm) and cut into 6cm or 8cm rounds with a plain or fluted biscuit-cutter.

Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 min until just cooked, but not browned.

Carefully transfer to a wire rack — the biscuits should still be a little soft but will become crisp as they cool.