Simple after school biscuits

After several days of baking for BL’s birthday, hanging up my oven gloves for a while might seem like a laudable action. A well deserved break. Feet up, by the Aga, enjoying a cup of tea. Surely a good idea. Right? Apparently the family has not tired of my baking. Oh no. It’s business as normal, as far as they are concerned. They were still looking eagerly in the pantry for the next batch of goodies, every time they enter the kitchen. They still want simple after school biscuits.

It’s not as if there is not plenty of fruit and bread to feast on, when they return from school. It’s almost as if they have a check list and the biscuit barrel is in big and bold, with no “optional” subscript beside it. Fruit {check} bread {check} biscuits {check}. They must run it off afterwards, as they all err on the side of willowy and slight.

Okay. Okay. Back to baking it is for me! Yesterday, I included a handful or two of chocolate chips into my new favourite biscuit ingredients . Simple. I like this biscuit recipe. It is quick, keeps its shape under heat and can be eaten plain or iced without feeling that I’ve over indulged – too much. A versatile recipe. It uses egg whites, so that I can also whip up a bowl of ice cream with the left over yolks.

I’m sharing, because its quick to bake and just too good not to share.

After school basic biscuit

300g (11 oz) self raising flour
55g (2 oz) custard powder
175g (6 oz) butter
175g (6 oz) caster sugar
2 medium white eggs
spice (optional)
handful of choc chips (optional)
handful of dried cranberries (optional)

1. Rub the butter in with the flour and custard powder.
2. Stir in the egg whites until it becomes a soft dough
3. Mix in spice, choc chips and cranberries
4. Roll out on a floured surface, until it is about 0.5cm thick, or else the choc chips stop you rolling anymore.
5. Use a biscuit cutter of your choice and put the cut out biscuits onto a lightly greased tray or grease proof paper.
6. Bake for 10 – 12 mins at 180c, 350f, gas mark 4 or for a 2 oven Aga, put the tray on the floor of the roasting oven, with the cold plain shelf on the third rung down.
7. Remove from oven once they are starting to go a light golden brown. Cool out of reach of family on a wire tray. Good luck!

I shall be using this latest batch of simple after school biscuits, to entice the children into an act of helpfulness. I have at least another wheel barrow full of apples to bring down from our little orchard. With their help, I might get it done this afternoon.