These deceptively delicious little slice-and bake-biscuits are incredibly easy to make and with just one bite, you'll be hooked. They're buttery, sweet and melt-in-the-mouth and unlike most commercially made butter biscuits, are easy on the wallet.
1. Beat butter and sifted sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to large bowl; stir in flour, in two batches.
2. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a 25cm log. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease oven trays; line with baking paper.
4. Cut logs into 1cm slices; place slices on trays about 2cm apart.
5. Bake cookies about 10 minutes or until browned lightly. Transfer cookies onto wire rack to cool.
Baked and unbaked biscuits suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.
VARIATIONS
CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT: Beat 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder into butter and sugar mixture, then stir in 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts and 1/3 cup finely chopped milk Choc Bits before adding the flour.
DRIED CRANBERRY: Stir in 2/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries into butter and sugar mixture.
VANILLA: Beat 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into butter and sugar mixture.
LEMON: Beat 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind into butter and sugar mixture.
ORANGE: Beat 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind into butter and sugar mixture.
SECRETS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START.
- Leave room to spread. Place biscuits about 2cm apart on the oven tray. If they are too close together, the biscuits won't cook through properly, or they will join together.
- Cookies should feel soft in the oven even though they're cooked. Check a few minutes before the end of baking time — if they feel a little soft, but firm, give one cookie a gentle push with the side of your thumb. A cooked cookie will slide easily on the tray. The cookies will become crisp on cooling.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Keep this dough, rolled into a log shape and tightly sealed in plastic wrap, in your fridge for up to 3 days or in your freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before cutting into slices.
- Keep biscuits fresh. If making more than one type of biscuit, store each variety in a separate container, or they will soften quickly. To re-crisp softened biscuits, bake on a non-stick or lined oven tray in a moderate (180°C/160°C fan-forced) oven for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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