Thursday, December 01, 2005

Tea Biscuits

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour milk over top and stir with fork to form soft, slightly sticky ragged dough.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead gently 10 times. Gently pat out into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick round. Using 2-inch (5 cm) floured cutter, cut out rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Gather up scraps and repat dough; cut out more rounds, pressing remaining scraps into final biscuit.

Brush tops of biscuits with egg. Bake in 425 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Let cool on pan on rack. (Make Ahead: Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks; thaw and reheat in 350 F oven for 10 minutes.)

Variation

Dried Fruit and Lemon Tea Biscuits: Add 1/2 cup raisins, dried currants, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, chopped dried cherries (not candied), apricots or prunes. Add 2 tsp grated lemon rind to dry mixture.

From: The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook, 2001

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

These look delicious ... almost like Sconehenge ones from Berkeley! I notice you don't mention using fresh fruits. Do you think small berries could be mixed in?
Thanks,
Babybaker

Anonymous said...

What measurement did you use for the chocolate chunks? Was it 1/2 cup?
Thanks,
Bay Area Baker

Canadian Baker said...

Hi Anon - I think 1/2 cup sounds about right. Of course, you can add more or less depending on how much you want. :)

Anonymous said...

So good that I have to make them soon again. I made them with chocolate chips (1/2 cup). I want to try with candied orange peel in it next time (first I have to make the candied orange peel).

Canadian Baker said...

Aisha - Excellent! I'm glad you liked them and adding homemade candied orange peel sounds amazing. :) Chocolate and orange were made for each other. :)