Easy peasy biccies…

This recipe appeared recently on Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites programme, where she cooked biscuits with her grandchildren. Ergo, this recipe is easy enough for a ten year old, which means anyone – even I – can handle it.

The idea of her recipe was to split the dough into three separate balls and then make three different flavoured mini-biscuits. It’s a great idea and a fun way to play around with flavours, while teaching yourself several biscuit-making techniques and tricks. Mary cooked choc chip, lemon and almond biscuits. They all have their merits, but the almond ones – which I have adapted slightly – have been a real winner in my house recently. The trick is to get good quality almond extract and ground almonds, and keep it simple.

Mary Berry’s Almond Biscuits (makes about 12)

• 175g softened butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 175g plain flour
• 75g semolina
• 60g ground almonds
• 3tsp almond extract
• 3tbsp demerara sugar

1. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon till soft and creamy, and then stir in the flour and semolina till a dough is formed.
2. Add the almond extract and half the ground almonds to the bowl and, using your hands, mix the extract and grounds into the dough so they’re thoroughly mixed through.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a sausage shape, about 2 inches thick. Sprinkle the sugar and rest of the almonds onto a clean surface and roll the shape over it, so it is thoroughly coated in sugar and almonds.
4. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 30 mins/1 hour until firm (you can leave it in the fridge for up to two days, and just cook a batch as and when you need it too).
5. Preheat the oven to 180 C, lay out baking parchment on a baking tray .
6. Once firm, remove the shape from the fridge, and, using a sharp knife, cut slices about 1.5cm thick and lay on the parchment.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. (The biscuits will still feel a little soft, but as they cool they’ll harden to a satisfying snap.