Yummy Biscuits (Ginger, Chocolate & more)

[SarzWix]

The best ginger biscuit recipe I've ever come across!! Depending how long you bake them for, you can end up with chewy cookies, or, full on crunchy ginger nuts. Make them extra fab by chopping some pieces of PigletWillie's Crystalized Ginger into the mixture (if you're lucky enough to have some )
I'm sorry it's in 'old money', but the recipe is from the 1940s



Pre heat the oven to 160°c

Sieve 12oz Self Raising Flour, 2 tsp Ginger, 1tsp Bircarb.Soda into a bowl.
Add 8oz granulated sugar Mix together and make a well in the centre.
Melt 4oz butter, 3oz golden syrup in a pan, then pour into well.
Add 1 beaten egg and mix together well.

Lightly flour your hands, roll mixture into balls and place onto greased baking trays (you'll probably need 3), allowing for some spread. Bigger sized balls will make chewier cookies, smaller ones more crunchy

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes - pale golden is chewy, darker will be more crunchy.


Don't blame me if you eat the whole lot in one day

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'll road test this one at the weekend, Sarz - sounds fab!

[SarzWix]

I cadged the recipe off my daughter's teacher! Her class was learning about the 1940s at school, and they did a 1940s Tea Party for the parents. In amongst the foul spam and 'meat' paste sandwiches were these gorgeous biscuits By the time it was over, all the plates of sandwiches were still full, but the biscuits had gone down to the last crumb

[amandaandherveg]

Oooo.... going to give this one a go this weekend.... sounds yum!

[sallym]

Yep. Ginger Bikkies for me this weekend too.
Thanks Sarz

[amandaandherveg]

We should all take pics and post them. Before we eat them of course, lol.

[SarzWix]

We should all take pics and post them. Before we eat them of course, lol.

Ha ha ha, you'll have to be really quick - they smell fantastic when they're warm...

[amandaandherveg]

Better make a double batch then. I'm going to make fat chewy ones.

[SarzWix]

This quantity of mix will fill 2½ swiss roll sized trays, could you fit double in the oven ?

[Nicos]

Oh dear...I wonder what bicarb of soda is in French????

* wonders if it's a good idea to try without it?????*

[amandaandherveg]

This quantity of mix will fill 2½ swiss roll sized trays, could you fit double in the oven ?

Sorted - got 2 ovens.

[SarzWix]

The literal translation is bicarbonate de soude according to babel fish. If you can't find it, it'd probably be worth a go without it, you'd end up with something gingery & biscuit-ish

[SarzWix]

Just bumping this, and going to add the recipes for a few other favourites at Bernie's (DexterDog...) request

[SarzWix]

Chocolate Biscuits

Ingredients

4oz butter/marg
2oz sugar
1oz custard powder (or, 1oz cornflour + 1tsp vanilla extract)
1oz cocoa powder
3oz plain flour

Oven; Gas 4 / Electric 180c

Method

Cream the butter and sugar together. Work in the sifted flour, cocoa and custard powder. Roll into little balls and place on baking sheets. Flatten with a fork - they don't spread while baking, so get them into biscuit shape. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes (shorter cooking times for fan ovens).
These biscuits are good to dip half the biscuit into melted chocolate, place on baking parchment to set.

[SarzWix]

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Ingredients

5oz (165g) Plain Flour
½ teasp. Bicarbonate of Soda
½ teasp. Salt
4oz (115g) Butter/Marg.
6oz (165g) Light Brown Sugar
1 egg
1 teasp. Vanilla Extract
9½ oz (265g) Peanut Butter (crunchy or smooth)

Method

Cream the butter and sugar together til light and fluffy.
Beat the egg and vanilla together, then gradually beat into the butter mixture.
Stir in the peanut butter and blend thoroughly.
Sift in the dry ingredients and mix in well.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/Gas 4.
Spoon out rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough and roll into balls. Place on greased baking sheets and press flat with a fork.
Bake until lightly coloured, 12-15 minutes.

Makes 24