Vanilla Biscuits
A simple, basic cookies recipe, that can never be wrong. These cookies can be served as is, but can also be served in more interesting manners:
- You can serve the cookies with dips, such as lemon curd, smooth Berries Purée, cream cheese frosting, vanilla custard, chocolate genache and more.
- You can make sandwich cookies, by filling them with one or more of the above dips. This might take a little longer than just serving along with some dips, but this suggestion (and the following one) is a nice exercise in relaxation, creativity and can be a lot of fun, too.
- You can coat or decorate the cookies with a simple flavoured icing. Just mix icing sugar with a little bit of naturally flavoured liquid, such as freshly squeezed lemon juice, raspberry juice (that’s a good use for the liquids from frozen raspberry packs). If you wonder how much liquids, I can just say I always start with one tbsp, and add as much icing sugar as it can absorb. The ratio can be more that 1:3 (liquid:icing sugar) and the texture – a little bit thicker than a double cream. Once mixed, set aside for 15-20 minutes before applying on the cookies.
Few tips regarding the preparation:
- The easiest way to prepare the dough is by using a food processor. It’s OK if you don’t have one, just use your fingers. It’ll take few more minutes, but will end up with the same cookies.
- If you shape your cookies in different sizes, I recommend you’d bake them in more than one batch. In each batch bake the shapes that are similar in size.
Happy baking and decorating!
You’ll need:
- Your oven tin
- 170g plain flour
- 100g icing sugar
- 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 1 egg yolk
- a pinch of salt
How to:
Prepare the dough:
(1) Place the flour, sugar, butter and salt in a food processor
(2) Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
(3) Add the egg and process until a ball is formed. If the mixture doesn’t form a ball, add a little bit of cold water (start with 1 teaspoon and process. Add more if necessary)
(4) Roll out, wrap in cling film chill for an hour
Prepare the cookies:
(1) Preheat the oven to 200c and line the tin with baking paper
(2) Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface
(3) Form shapes, using cookie cutters and place on the tin
(4) Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown
(5) Remove the tin from the oven, and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool before serving or decorating