Slice and bake Vanilla Biscuits

Ingredients

• 250ml (1cup) castor sugar
• 300g butter
• 1 egg
• 5ml (1tsp) vanilla essence
• 750 ml (3 cups) cake flour
• 3ml (½ teaspoon) baking powder
• Pinch of Salt

Method

• Beat the sugar and butter until creamy
• Beat in the egg and vanilla
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt
• Roll into 2x5cm thick logs with plastic wrap
•  Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until firm
• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Line baking trays with baking paper
• Remove the plastic wrap and slice the logs into 7mm thick slices
• Pack on the prepared trays
• Bake one tray at a time for about 10-15 minutes until just cooked. Leave to cool.

Makes about 80 biscuits

Variations

•  Lemon poppy seed: Add the zest of 1 orange and 30ml poppy seeds.
• Sweets: Add 140g Astros, Smarties or Jelly Tots.
• Red and green swirls: Divide the dough in half and colour one half with a few drops of green food colouring and the other half with red. Roll each ball out into a 40cm x 28cm rectangle between plastic wrap. Place on top of each other and trim the sides to make straight edges. Roll up lengthways, using the plastic as a guide. (If it cracks while rolling, pinch the cracks closed as you go.)
• Cinnamon, pecan and white choc: Add 8ml ground cinnamon, 100g chopped pecan nuts and 100g chopped white chocolate.

Tip

If the cookies break when slicing, press them back into circles – especially if they contain large nuts or sweets.

Magazine issue date: December, 2015