Freezer Biscuits

Everyone needs a treat now and again, and these biscuits are packed with oats, which takes away some of the guilt

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 30 biscuits

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  138

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  16g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  0.21g

Ingredients

• 200g pack butter, softened
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200g self-raising flour
• 140g oats
• Your choice of flavours
• 50g chopped nuts such as pecans, hazelnuts or almonds
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 50g raisins, or mixed fruit

Directions

1. When the butter is really soft, tip it into a bowl along with the sugar. Using an electric hand whisk or exercising some arm muscle, beat together until the sugar is mixed through. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, if you like. Stir in the flour and oats. The mixture will be quite stiff at this point. Now decide what else you would like to add-any or all of the flavours are delicious-and stir through.
2. Tear off an A4-size sheet of greaseproof paper. Pile up half the mixture in the middle of the sheet, then use a spoon to thickly spread the mixture along the centre of the paper. Pull over one edge of paper and roll up until you get a tight cylinder. If you have problems getting it smooth, then roll as you would a rolling pin along a kitchen surface. You'll need it to be about the width of a teacup. When it is tightly wrapped, twist up the ends and then place in the freezer. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
3. To cook, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and unwrap the frozen biscuit mix. Using a sharp knife, cut off a disk about ½cm wide. If you have difficulty slicing through, dip the knife into a cup of hot water. Cut off as many biscuits as you need, then pop the mix back into the freezer for another time. Place on a baking sheet, spacing them widely apart as the mixture will spread when cooking, then cook for 15 mins until the tops are golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 5 mins before eating.

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Bunting Biscuits

Add a touch of fun to your party with these edible flag-shaped cookies - ice in your favourite colours

• Cooking Time Prep 50 mins
  Cook 8 mins - 10 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 24

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  258

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  53g

• Fat

  4g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  44g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 350g plain flour, plus a little extra for rolling
• 100g cold butter, diced
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 140g light soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 75g golden syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• To decorate
• 1kg pack ready-to-roll icing
• few food colourings and writing icing pens, in your favourite colours
• icing sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. Put the flour, butter, bicarb and sugar in a food processor, whizz until you can't see any lumps of butter, then tip into a mixing bowl. Whisk the egg, syrup and vanilla together, then stir into the bowl with a wooden spoon. Using your hands, knead together into a smooth dough.
2. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a triangle template from card the size you want the bunting to be. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Use template to cut out triangles-re-roll trimmings to get as many as you can. Line some baking sheets with baking parchment and lift on the biscuits. Use a pencil end to make 2 holes in the top of each one-not too close to the edge. Bake, one tray at a time, for 8-10 mins, remaking each hole when biscuits are just out and still soft. Cool. Un-iced biscuits can be frozen for up to 3 months, or will keep in an airtight container for a week.
3. Divide the icing into as many colours as you want, and knead in food colourings to get your desired colours. Roll out thinly on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, and use your template to cut out icing triangles. Brush the backs of the icing with a little water and stick onto the biscuits-making holes in the icing to match the biscuits as you go. Cut out small circles from leftover icing, brush backs with water and stick onto some of the biscuits. Decorate with icing pens, if you wish, then carefully thread through ribbon or string and hang up your treats.

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Hanukkah Biscuits

Good Food reader Danielle Brown shares her grandmother's recipe for savoury Kaak biscuits, traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  198

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  29g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• 450g strong white flour
• 1 tsp caraway seed
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 100g oil-based margarine, melted
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Place the flour, ½ tsp salt, caraway seeds and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the melted margarine and 200ml warm water. Mix to combine all of the ingredients, adding more water or flour if needed, then knead for 2 mins to form a soft dough. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hr.
2. Once doubled in size, knead the dough for 1 min, then divide the mixture into 12 balls. Cut each ball in half and roll each piece into a thin sausage shape. Twist the 2 pieces together, then join the ends to form a circle. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise again for 30 mins.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 5. Brush the biscuits with a little beaten egg and bake for 10-15 mins until golden. Remove to cool on a wire rack, then turn the oven down to 110C/90C fan/gas 1?4. Once cool, return the biscuits to the oven and bake for a further 10 mins, then turn off the heat completely, leaving the biscuits in the oven to dry out for 2 hrs.

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Simple Jammy Biscuits

Make a treat that the whole family will enjoy with these jammy biscuits

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 12 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  170

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  25g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  0.5g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tbsp strawberry jam

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Rub the flour, sugar and butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can do this in the food processor. Add enough egg to bring the mixture together to form a stiff dough.
2. Flour your hands and shape the dough into a tube, about 5cm in diameter. Cut into 2cm-thick slices and place on a large baking sheet. Space them out as the mixture will spread when baking.
3. Make a small indentation in the middle of each slice with the end of a wooden spoon, and drop a tsp of jam in the centre. Bake for 10-15 mins until slightly risen and just golden. Cool on a wire rack.

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Almond Biscuits

These amaretti-style biscuits use minimal flour and have a light airy finish, fit to accompany desserts and drinks

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 34

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  47

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  2g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0g

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 140g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 140g ground almonds

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue to whisk for a few mins more until the whites are glossy. Sift the flour onto the whites, spoon over the almonds, then fold everything together quickly, keeping the mixture light and airy.
2. Spoon tbsps of the almond mix, well spaced apart, onto the prepared trays. Bake for 20 mins until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve with the gooseberry fool. These biscuits are best freshly baked but will keep in a sealed container for up to a week.

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Custard & White Chocolate Biscuits

A chocolate chip cookie and custard cream in one - super-simple and they'll keep in the biscuit tin for a fortnight

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 12 mins - 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes about 25

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  132

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 140g butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 225g self-raising flour
• 85g custard
• 85g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2-3 baking sheets with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar in a food processor and whizz until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well. Sift together the flour and custard powder, then tip into the bowl and pulse to mix into a dough. Scrape out the food processor and work the chocolate in by hand.
2. Roll the dough into balls a little smaller than a walnut, then place on the baking sheets, a little apart to allow for spreading. Press each biscuit down lightly with your fingers.
3. Bake for 12-15 mins until lightly golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

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Easy Vanilla Cake

A moist cake drenched with vanilla syrup. Use as the basis for a range of fabulous celebration cakes

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  399

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  48g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  27g

• Salt

  0.31g

Ingredients

• 250g pack unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 250g golden caster sugar
• seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 5 large eggs, cracked into a jug
• 85g plain flour
• 100g full-fat Greek yogurt (I used Total)
• 250g self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• For the syrup
• 50g golden caster sugar
• seeds ½ vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla paste

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a round, deep 20cm tin, then line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt together until pale and fluffy, then pour in the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next. Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Beat in the yogurt.
3. Mix the flours; then, using a large metal spoon, fold them into the batter, followed by the milk. Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden-a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool for 30 mins in the tin, then use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, going right to the bottom. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition. Leave to cool completely, then either wrap the cake well or fill and ice it. If you wrap it with baking parchment and cling film, the unfilled cake will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
5. For ideas on how to decorate the cake and to try out some variations on this basic cake mixture, have a look at the 'Goes well with' recipes for Simple elegance wedding cake, Birthday bug cake and Summer celebration cake.

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Blackberry & Coconut Squares

This lovely crumbly bake won the under-11s category of our 20th birthday cake competition

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  347

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  43g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  26g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• 250g self-raising flour
• 25g oats
• 280g soft brown sugar
• 200g cold butter, cut into pieces
• 75g desiccated coconut
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 350g frozen or fresh blackberries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the flour, oats and sugar into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until only small pea-size pieces remain. Stir through the coconut, then fill a teacup with the mixture and set this aside.
2. Stir the eggs into the bowl of mixture, then spread over the bottom of a lined baking tin (31 x 17cm), or a 21cm square tin. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, then scatter over the blackberries. Scatter over the reserved teacup mixture and bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until golden and cooked through (if you poke a skewer in, it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet mixture). Leave to cool, then remove from the tin and cut into squares. Serve with some extra berries, if you like. Great for teatime or to pop into a lunchbox.

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Almond Raisin Cake With Sherry

Forget the tea and cake here and serve this with a glass of sherry. For the best result make this the day before so the flavours can infuse

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 with leftovers

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  501

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  52g

• Fat

  27g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  38g

• Salt

  0.57g

Ingredients

• 250g raisins
• 200ml medium or sweet sherry (try using Amontillado or Pedro Ximénez)
• 150ml thick natural yogurt
• 150ml vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 140g plain flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• icing sugar, to serve

Directions

1. Tip the raisins into a bowl, pour over the sherry, then leave for at least 30 mins to soften. Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/ fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly grease a deep 20cm round cake tin, then line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.
2. Mix together the yogurt, oil and eggs. Put the remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl, pour in the yogurt mixture, then stir together until smooth. Scoop half the raisins out of the sherry, then stir into the batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with a spoon. Cook in the oven for 50-55 mins until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
3. Take a skewer and prick all over the cake. Pour over 5 tbsp of the soaking sherry and let it soak in. You can make up to this point 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container. Serve warm or leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar. Warm the rest of the soaked raisins and sherry, then serve alongside the cake with some vanilla ice cream.

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Banana Cake With Pecan Crumble Crunch

A wedge of this alongside a cup of tea makes for a perfect Sunday afternoon

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 8 - 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  591

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  69g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  44g

• Salt

  0.62g

Ingredients

• 250g golden caster sugar
• 250g self-raising flour
• 140g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
• 3 large ripe bananas, or 4 small, mashed
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 100ml milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, and line the base and sides of a deep 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. For the crumble topping stir together 2 tbsp each of the sugar, flour and chopped pecans, then add the butter, cut into a few pieces, and rub together until you have sticky crumbs. Set aside.
2. Break up the whole eggs with a fork, then mix with the mashed banana, oil and milk until all the wet ingredients are well combined. In a separate, large bowl tip in the remaining sugar, flour and pecans, and briefly stir with the cinnamon and baking powder. Whisk the egg whites until just stiff. To combine, tip the oily banana mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and quickly stir in until you have a smooth, lump-free mix. Finally using a large metal spoon or spatula gently fold in the egg whites, then carefully pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter over the crumble topping and bake for 1 hr, until a skewer stuck in to the middle comes out clean. Check the cake with 15 mins to go, if the surface is browning too quickly cover with another piece of baking parchment.
3. Once the cake is ready leave it in its tin for 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

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