2019-09-01_Food_Heaven

BISCUITS 101

MAKING BISCUITS

HAVE THE RIGHT
EQUIPMENT...
You will need at least one (preferably two)
baking trays; a f lat-bladed metal spatula for
lifting cooked biscuits off the trays; and one or
two wire racks.

PREVENT BISCUITS FROM
STICKING TO TRAYS...
L ine t he t rays w it h ba k ing paper, or grease
lightly with butter; too much butter can cause
the biscuits to spread. Measure accurately,
using level cup and spoon measures unless the
recipe states otherwise.

H AV E THE BU T TER AT THE
RIGHT TEMPER ATURE...
For creamed mixtures, the butter should be at
room temperat ure. This is a slight misnomer,
as the temperature of the room depends on the
heat of t he day. In ba k ing ter ms, however,
‘room temperature’ means butter that is soft,
but still holds its shape. It should not be runny
or liquid. But ter st raight f rom t he f r idge may
ta ke a n hour to sof ten adequately, depend ing
on the heat of the room.

PREHEAT THE OVEN...
The oven needs to be the right temperature
when t he biscuits go in.

M A K E SUR E THE
OVEN R ACKS ARE
CORRECTLY POSITIONED...
If baking one tray at a time, place the rack in
the centre of the oven. If baking two trays,
place the oven racks as though dividing the
oven into thirds. Air needs to circulate around
t he trays, so it’s bet ter to ba ke a large
qua nt it y of biscuits in severa l batches t ha n to
overcrowd the oven.

TURN THE TRAYS
OCCASIONALLY...
Many ovens have hot spots that result in
uneven cooking. To compensate for this, turn
t he ba k ing t rays once or t w ice. If using more
t ha n one ba k ing t ray, a lso swap t heir posit ions
on the oven racks to prevent uneven browning.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE

BISCUITS A S THEY BA K E...

The cooking time in the recipe is a guide only,

as all ovens differ. A few minutes before the end

of the specified cooking time, check the

biscuits, rotating and swapping the trays if

needed. Cooked biscuits will be firm and dry

on the top. Lift one biscuit off the tray with a

spatula and check the underside to see if it is

also cooked. If the biscuits need more cooking,

return them to the oven for a further minute or

t wo. Keep check ing t hem f requent ly; biscuits

can burn quickly.

ALLOW BISCUITS

TO COOL...

When first removed from the oven biscuits are

ver y sof t a nd f rag ile, so leave t hem on t he t ray

for a few minutes to cool slightly and set. (The

except ions to t his r ule a re biscuits such as

brandy snaps, which are sometimes removed

when still hot and then shaped around a rolling

pin or similar.) Use a flat-bladed metal spatula

to transfer the biscuits to wire racks to cool

completely. Once they are cool you can ice them

or add fillings. Store biscuits in an airtight

conta iner; if lef t on t he rack s for too long t hey

can absorb moisture from the air and lose some

of their crispness, especially on humid days.

ICINGS AND FILLINGS...

It is best to do so on t he day t hey a re to be

served, as biscuits may reabsorb moisture from

sof t icings or f illings if t hey a re stored too long

(if the icing is hard, they keep well).

STORE IN AN

AIRTIGHT CONTAINER...

Store each t y pe of biscuit in its ow n conta iner to

prevent f lavours from mingling. In particular,

keep sweet and savoury biscuits separate.

TO RE-CRISP BISCUITS...

If t hey have become a lit t le sof t, place on

baking trays lined with baking paper and bake

in a 180°C/Gas Mark 4 oven for about

5 minutes. (This c a n only be done w it h biscuits

t hat have not been iced or f illed.) Tra nsfer to

wire racks to cool.

The feature on

pages 42-43 is

taken from

Margaret

Fulton’s Baking

Classics by

Margaret Fulton,

published by

Hardie Grant

(£16.99).

EQUIPMENT

TEMPERATURE

VIGILANCE

COOLING

ICING

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