biscuits – Page 2 – Bakerholics Anonymous

Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits)

Published on April 5, 2015March 31, 2024 by Elise B2 Comments

When my family lived in Canberra, our lovely friends would bring us some Figolli (traditional Maltese Easter biscuits) every Easter Sunday. As they were such a favourite with all of us, when we moved to Adelaide we decided that we couldn’t be without Figolli at Easter, and so we started making them ourselves.

This has just been our third Easter in Adelaide and I’m pretty confident that we’ve perfected them by now – consistently getting a rich buttery biscuit outside and perfectly chewy almond-citrus filling. We tend to to make ours round (although by all means use any shape you like) and decorate them simply with pastel icing and topped with an Easter egg. Do yourself a favour and try them!

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Ingredients (makes approx. 24)
Pastry
400g plain flour, sifted
175g caster sugar
200g butter
2 egg yolks
Grated rind of ½ a lemon

Filling
300g icing sugar, icing
300g ground almonds
2 egg whites
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2½ teaspoons orange blossom water

Icing
3 cups icing sugar
50g butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Food colouring

24 mini eggs or Easter eggs to decorate

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Method
In a food processor, blitz flour, sugar & butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add egg yolks, lemon zest & sufficient cold water to bring the dough together. Knead gently to form a smooth ball and then cover in cling film and refrigerate for 20mins.

Meanwhile, add the lemon zest, orange blossom water, egg whites & sugar to the ground almonds. Mix until combined.

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced.

Roll pastry out to a 1-1½mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a 7cm diameter round cutter to cut out 2 circles of pastry.

Spread almond paste on one half and lay matching shapes on top, pressing the edges together.

Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake on a tray lined with baking paper for approximately 20-30 mins or until golden brown.

Make the icing by combining icing sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a medium bowl with electric beaters. Add a touch of extra icing sugar or milk to reach desired consistency. Add a drop or two of food colouring. Set aside.

Allow biscuits to cool before decorating with icing & Easter eggs.

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Adapted from ‘The Food and Cookery of Malta’ (1999)

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Never-fail Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published on March 28, 2015January 20, 2017 by Elise BLeave a comment

I’ve been making these cookies for 10 years and they have never failed me. They’re so good in fact that I’ve never once strayed from this recipe – they have the perfect chewy texture and a rich, full flavour. Try and stop at one!

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Ingredients (makes approx. 48)
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, tightly packed
4 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 egg
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips

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Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (or 160°C fan-forced).

Place butter & sugar in a bowl & beat until light & creamy. Add vanilla & egg & stir to combine.

Stir in sifted flour & baking powder until just combined. Fold through chocolate chips.

Place teaspoonfuls of cookie mix on a baking tray lined with baking paper, allowing room for spreading.

Bake for 10-15mins or until pale gold, but still soft. Allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before moving onto a wire rack.

Try not to eat them all at once! I believe that they will last up to a fortnight in an airtight container (although they’ve never lasted long enough for me to test this). Enjoy!

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Recipe adapted from ‘Macadamia & White Chocolate Chip Cookies’ by Caroline’s Kitchen.

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Anzac Biscuits

Published on April 25, 2013April 25, 2017 by Elise BLeave a comment

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They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning
We will remember them.

Anzac biscuits are said to have been created by Australian (and New Zealand) women on the home-front during WWI as they were cheap to produce, would last the long voyage to the troops (as they didn’t contain eggs or other ingredients that would go off), and deliver both on a taste and nutritional basis. Since then, these biscuits have become a symbol of the ANZACs eaten in their millions on ANZAC day (25th April) in Australia and across the Tasman. This version is my favourite with a crunchy top and chewy inside, adapted from an old family recipe for ‘brown biscuits’ as they were called at the time.

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Ingredients (makes 30+ biscuits)
1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
125g butter
2 tblspns golden syrup
2 ½ tblspns water
½ tsp bicarb soda

Method
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add sugar, oats and coconut and mix well.

Melt the butter in a saucepan with golden syrup and water. Add the bicarb of soda to the liquid mixture and add to the dry mix.

Stir until thoroughly combined.

Place walnut sized balls of mixture onto a greased tray. Press down gently with the back of a teaspoon.

Bake at 150°C for 8-12 mins or until deep golden brown.

Note: Biscuits will harden when cool so don’t worry if they seem undercooked.

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