Mrs Beeton’s Adventure Dessert Biscuits

These dessert biscuits are fantastic for Holiday treats in the lead up to Christmas!

 

Halloween is over and I am definitely one of those Christmas fanatics – so bear with me here.

My latest bake is a lovely soft biscuit with a outside crunch and as Mrs Beeton says “With whatever the preparation is flavoured, so are the biscuits called, and an endless variety can be made in this manner”.  So go with whatever flavour your little heart desires – today I chose ground ginger to add to my biscuit batter to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

As per the usual routine I started off with my ingredients set out ready to go.  The recipe needs; 1 lb Flour, 1/2lb Butter, 1/2lb Sifted Sugar, the Yolks of 6 eggs and flavouring to taste.  If your mind is blank as to options for flavouring here are some ideas – Cinnamon, Lemon zest, Currants, Ground ginger, Cocoa powder…let your imagination soar.  If you are feeling fancy, make half and half different flavours!

Soften your 225g (Yeah I know, it’s a lot!) of Butter and beat it vigorously until it resembles cream instead of butter.  I used my mixer for this so as not to wear out my arms this early in the bake, haha.  Then I added in the flour “by degrees”, which is just really a posh way of saying ‘a bit at a time’ until it is mixed in.  Then in went the icing sugar and the flavouring, and followed up by your lovely egg yolks (previously beaten until light and frothy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your mixture will end up a soft dough, but still be able to be moulded with your hands into tablespoonful balls.  This mixture made 5 trays of cookies, but you can reuse your trays after removing the cooked biscuits if you don’t have a neverending supply of cookie trays.  Grease and flour, or line them with baking paper – the reusable type is a fantastic save for the environment, it may be more expensive to start with, but in the long run it is worth it.

The cookies need to go into a ‘slow oven’ for around 15 minutes, making sure they don’t gain too much colour (don’t burn them – it does not add to the flavour, haha).  I put my oven at around 160 degrees Celsius and this worked well.

The average cost back in the day was apparently 1s, 6d to make these and you will get around 4 dozen biscuits out of the one dough.  This is why it is such a fantastic recipe to make and gift for Christmas, or pop it on the table to let the gannets help themselves as my family did.  I started out with 52 and now have one plateful left, that’s how moreish they are.  I think they would look super cool decorated with some red or white royal icing and a cherry on top.

I hope you enjoyed this bake and I hope you come back to visit me again soon.  I am over the moon with this fabulous new website and have to credit Yellow Banana Design for all their hard work.  Remember if you are a fan of YouTube also this recipe will be up to view on there very soon under Sweet Sensations NZ.

 

 

 

2021-11-10T09:04:39+13:009 November 2021|Bakes, Biscuits, Makes, Mrs Beeton's Cookbook, Vintage Kitchen, Xmas|0 Comments

Tips for Great Present Giving

Tips for Great Present Giving

We are gearing up to one of the biggest celebrations of the year and some of you may be stuck on what to get a certain person…fear not, I am here to give you a few handy tips on great present giving!

1. Be a great listener…

This is the best tip when you need to find out what your friends and family really love to do, or are passionate about at the moment. Is there a hobby that they love to spend time on or one that they would really like to take up but don’t have all the gear? A book about that topic or a starter pack to get them going (as long as it’s not going to cost an arm and a leg). You can find many small bits and pieces that connect to any kind of hobby, for example…Fishing…how about a small tackle box and some sinkers and flies? Or do they enjoy sports or would like to take up a new one? A good present would be some accessories or a ‘how to’ book. An avid baker might like a vintage cookbook or some out of print ones that can no longer be found in your retail shops.

There are clues in your conversations with them, and spending quality time with them will make you feel happy and geared up about the season ahead, so it is a win win!

2. Look for clues

How do they live their day to day life? Is it super busy? Are they big fans of a certain sport or past-time?

Busy people may enjoy a present for a relaxing activity, something they rarely get to do or something that they used to do but never have the time for anymore. These presents have great health benefits and can boost the receiver’s spirits, how can you get any better?

Do they mention things that they used to have or miss from their childhood? This one can bring back fond memories and could be a cherished present for years to come. Personally, this would be my favourite type of present!

Sports fans are pretty easy to buy for as you can find so many things these days which are printed with favourite teams logos, from socks to jerseys, drink bottles to bedspreads. The choice is endless. A big sports fan won’t be able to stop from telling you about their favourite team and how they did at the weekend. http://swiftmovement.co.nz/custom-printing have a great range of personalised logos which can be tailored to your receiver.

3. You don’t need to go expensive.

As a big fan of op shops throughout our area, I can tell you that I have often found things that have long since stopped being manufactured in the latest stores and are often in new or as new condition!

There are so many 2nd hand shops throughout the country and they often have some gems, all you need to do is go in with an eagle eye and an open mind and you can find your treasure. I follow a Facebook page which is dedicated to op-shopping and they have the greatest finds on there! A great place for ideas and they often share where you can find certain vintage items, so you can go straight to the source.

A great place to find vintage books and lots of new looking books for all those hobbies you have found out about. Some receivers treasure an old book much more than a brand new one.

4. Buy Handmade

This is an avenue which means you support your local makers and small businesses and get a product which has time, love and effort put into making it the best it can be. If you are buying for someone special and contact the makers, they can often tailor the handmade item to the receivers favourite colour, flavour, hobby and even personalisation can make it super special. We even welcome these kinds of requests!

You are getting a one of a kind product which not many if any, people will be able to match with a mass produced item. As a maker, I know they put a lot of love and time into making a product just right and there can be no better way to show someone you love and care about them. You can check out some of my makes on Instagram @sewsweetnz and @sweetsensationsnz, or on my website here or Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/sweetsensationsnz.

If you are crafty put your skills to the test and get making! It’s a great time to develop skills and enjoy the process.

5. Do your research

Look around and try different avenues for those special items, just remember to order well in advance if you are looking offshore for special items not found here.

New Zealand is a treasure trove of small businesses who have so much to offer you to help you give the best gift at Christmas and all those other special occasions. Ask around, use facebook handmade groups, search google, use those listening and detective skills you acquired earlier on in this blog.

I believe in you and know that you can become the best gift giver ever, enjoy the process and have a very happy holiday season!

2021-11-10T08:55:03+13:0022 November 2020|Advice, Xmas|0 Comments
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