A very simple home-made biscuit or cookie recipe, similar to Hobnobs, that can be easily adapted to your needs. You can add dried fruit or chocolate if you wish, or just go plain. The choice is yours.

Ingredients for simple home-made biscuits (makes around 25 biscuits)

• 4.5oz / 130g butter
• 6oz / 170g flour
• 6oz / 170g caster sugar
• 3oz / 85g rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 medium egg beaten
• dash of vanilla essence
• 3.5oz / 100g of dried fruit / chocolate (optional)

 

How to make the biscuits

In a mixing bowl cut the butter into small cubes. Add the flour and sugar then mix together gently using your fingertips. The mixture should become grainy.

Tip in the rolled oats along with the baking powder and swirl around so it has integrated with the butter, flour and sugar mixture.

Make a well in the centre and tip the beaten egg along with the vanilla essence.

Gradually mix this all together with one hand, it will become sticky. Begin squeezing it together to form a dough. Once combined turn out the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll into a sausage (diameter being the biscuit size you'd like) and wrap in either clingfilm or baking paper. Pop in the fridge for half an hour or so to chill and become more manageable.

Preheat the oven to 170C. Once the biscuit dough has chilled slice into discs (about 0.5cm - 1cm thick). Place on a baking tray and bake the biscuits in the centre of the oven for around 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Eat biscuits.

• Next