Basic Biscuit Recipes

Apple Biscuits

50 g shortening
350 g of dark demerara sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg, unbeaten
225 g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
100 g finely chopped apples
100 g raisins
100 g chopped nuts
3 tbs apple juice or milk

Combine the shortening, sugar, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and egg and mix.
Sift the flour with the baking soda.
Add half the flour mixture to the shortening mix and blend.
Stir in the apples, raisins, nuts, apple juice or milk. Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 200 degrees for 11 to 14 minutes.
Remove biscuits from sheet. Glaze while still hot.

Vanilla glaze

250 g of icing sugar
200 ml double cream
1 tbs real vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler and heat over simmering water and stir till warm. Pour on while still warm.

Toffee Squares

100 g butter
100 g demerara sugar
1 egg yolk
t tsp vanilla
225 g plain flour
100 g chocolate chips
100 g shortening
Ground walnuts

Cream the shortening and sugar together.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla, mix well.
Add the flour, mix well.
Spread the whole mix onto a baking sheet, using your fingers. Have kids help with this, it's fun! Bake for 15 minutes at 170 degrees.
Melt the chocolate chips and add 1 tsp of shortening to keep it soft.
After the dough is baked and when the chocolate is still warm, spread it with your fingers over the dough.
Have the kids help with this, too. Then, sprinkle with walnuts.
When the chocolate is set, cut the biscuits into little squares.

Crystallized Ginger Biscuits

350 g of plain flour
100 g whole wheat flour
200 g chopped crystallized ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
125g of castor sugar, divided
50 g applesauce
3 tbs oil
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Combine the flours, crystallized ginger, baking powder, soda, salt and ground ginger into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center of the mix.
Combine 100 g of sugar, the apple sauce oil, grated lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mix and stir until moist.
Cover and put in the fridge for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

With floured hands, shape the dough into about 24 balls. Roll them in 3 tbs of sugar.

Coat the baking sheets with cooking spray and put the balls about two inches apart on the sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown, then cool for a minute on the pan. Remove and let the biscuits cool completely on wire racks.