BISCOTTIS, TEA BISCUITS AND SCONES

BISCOTTI

1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (or part anise flavoring)
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, whatever)

Combine butter, sugar and eggs, mixing well. Beat in vanilla. combine dry ingredients and chopped nuts. Add to egg mixture. Batter will be very stiff and sticky. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. With floured hands, divide the dough in 2 loaves about 12 inches long (like French bread). Place loaves on 10 x 14 inch sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between. Flatten each loaf slightly, evenly. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or firm to the touch. Remove. Cool slightly; lower oven to 375 degrees. While still warm, slice loaves in diagonal slices, about 1/3 inch thick. Arrange on ungreased sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until firm. Do not brown. Makes about 6 dozen.
Variations: Add 1 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips to flour-nut mixture. Or, add 1/4 cup ground cinnamon to dry ingredients. Or, after first baking, brush the cut biscotti with beaten egg white and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Or, dip biscottis in melted white or dark chocolate, just one end.

Cooks.com

RICH TEA BISCUITS

2 c. flour
4 tsp. Royal baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. shortening
1 egg
1/2 c. milk

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add shortening, mixing in well with fork. Beat egg slightly in measuring cup; add milk to make 3/4 cup; add to first mixture. Roll out about 1/2 inch thick; cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place on greased pan. Bake in hot 475 degree oven about 12 minutes. Makes 16.

ORANGE MARMALADE BISCUITS:

1 recipe for Rich Tea Biscuits
1/3 c. orange marmalade

Make rich biscuit dough, using 1/3 cup milk instead of 1/2 cup. Add orange marmalade to egg and milk mixture, then add to dry ingredients. Roll out and cut as for biscuits. Top each with a little marmalade; bake in hot 425 degree oven, about 15 minutes. Makes 16.

TEA BISCUITS WITH RASPBERRY PRESERVE

4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 lb. butter, softened
Red raspberry preserves
1 c. ground nuts
1 c. raisins
Sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Sift the first 4 ingredients together onto a piece of wax paper. Make a well in the center with walls high enough to contain the liquid ingredients; add eggs, oil, vanilla, and orange juice.

Using your fingertips, stir flour into the center a little bit at a time, using a circular motion, dragging inward from the inside of the wall of flour. Note: this is the same technique used for making pasta or biscuits.

The dough should begin to come together to a shaky mass which you can knead (dough will be sticky -- do not add too much flour or overwork the dough on the finished product will become tough).

Press the dough together after kneading one to two minutes. Place in a ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight.

Roll the dough out 3/4" thick.

Using a sharp biscuit cutter or knife, cut the dough into 3 inch circles and place with edges nearly touching on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Brush lightly on top with heavy cream or milk.

Bake at 375°F 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and risen.

Stir together the raspberry preserves, nuts and raisins.

Split each biscuit and spread with softened butter and a spoonful or two of the raspberry preserves mixture.

Cooks.com

BEST EVER BRITISH SCONES

Hot scones, served as they are removed from the oven, are an English specialty. A MUST for five o'clock tea. Serve with butter and jam.
Preparation: easy. Cost: inexpensive. Preparation time: 30 minutes; total baking time 10 minutes. Oven temperature: 425 degrees middle rack.

This is what you'll need for 8 scones:

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter. Combine with your fingers, a wooden spoon or a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Add buttermilk. Quickly stir to form dough.
Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Flatten to a round. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cut each crosswise into 4 pieces but not all the way through. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot. Is properly served with Earl Grey tea, of course!

For the best tea THE GLASS TEA CUP
Photos courtesy of freefoto.com
Recipes courtesy of Cooks.com

Ingredients:
Special item: 3-inch round cutter

2 1/4 cups unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
4 1/2 ounces candied ginger, finely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces to equal 2/3 cup
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones

Preparation:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400&Deg; F.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder, and pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the lemon zest and butter, and pulse on and off, or mix on low, untl the mixture is pale yellow and the consistency of fine meal.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the ginger. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Using one hand, draw in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather it into a ball. Roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut out the circles, cutting as closely together as possible and keeping the trimmings intact.

Gather the scraps, pat and press the pieces back together, and cut out the remaining dough. Place the scones 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with the remaining cream.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until the surface cracks and they are slightly browned.