ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL
VALenTine’S biSCUiT RECIPE inGreDienTS (MAkeS 24 biSCUiTS) 350g plain flour 100g self-raising flour 125g granulated sugar 125g salted butter, diced 125g golden syrup 1 large egg, lightly beaten
RECIPE:
• Preheat the oven to 170c/350f/ gas mark 4 before you begin. • Sift the flours together into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and mix well. • Add the butter. Using just the tips of your fingers, rub together the ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. • When all the butter is evenly mixed in, make a well in the centre and add the syrup and the egg. • Mix well, drawing in any of the flour left at the sides of the bowl and stop as soon as a ball has formed. • Place the dough onto your clean worktop. Divide into two and squash the dough into two even-sized flat discs. Cover and chill until ready to use, or roll out immediately. • Place the dough on a sheet of parchment and begin by gently squashing the dough down with a rolling pin or your hands. Cover with a second sheet of parchment and then use the rolling pin to roll out properly. • The top sheet of paper may crinkle from time to time, just peel it off and smooth it down gently before starting to roll again. • Gently roll the dough until it is 5mm thick all over, then transfer the whole sheet of rolled dough still sandwiched between its sheets of parchment to a baking tray and place in the fridge to chill for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting. • Letter shaped cutters are widely available online, or you
can choose to make your own. To do this, identify the letter you want to trace (making sure they are bulky enough to survive the baking) and lay a sheet of parchment on top, carefully tracing around the letter. Carefully cut the templates out with scissors. You can find some templates in the Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits. • Assemble your collection of cutters or templates and start to cut. To use the dough efficiently, cut the biscuits out as close together as possible. Lift each biscuit onto the parchment covered baking tray and make sure they are not too close together as the dough will spread a little on baking. Any trimmings can be re-rolled a couple of times. • evenly space the trays in the oven and cook for 14-18 minutes, depending on your oven. • When the biscuits are evenly cooked and just beginning to turn a golden colour remove the trays from the oven and transfer the whole sheet of parchment to a cooling rack. Do this carefully as the biscuits will be quite fragile and hot. • Cool totally before starting to ice.
‘i LoVe YoU’ iCinG TiPS :
1. To start, cut your piping bag straight across to achieve a clean icing line. 2. Always use a clean piping bag, so that your icing colours stay lovely. 3. There are two basic types of royal icing at biscuiteers – a thick, smooth paste for piping details and edging, and a runnier glossy mixture for flooding larger areas. 4. Practice your icing techniques on a parchment sheet before starting on your biscuits. 5. Using the piping icing (should be smooth and thick, a bit like the texture of toothpaste) ice around the letter edges to create a ‘wall’ for the runny icing. 6. once the edges are dry, use a runny royal icing to flood the biscuit. 7. When filling areas with runny icing, use a sharp cocktail stick to burst any bubbles. This will help achieve a smooth and luxurious finish. 8. If you want the detail to sink into the flood icing, add this while the flood icing is still wet. 9. Stock up on lots of baubles and sugar glitter to finish off your biscuits with some pizazz. Remember that sugar glitter will stick better to super wet icing (it dries pretty fast).
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