PB Biscuits
Inspired by the Paddington Bear bakers that recently swept the Arts Block, I decided to kick off this year with something a little less practical, and a bit more Great British Bake Off; Peanut Butter Biscuits.
For these biscuits, you don’t need any special cutters or tins; you just roll up little balls and flatten them out. They do however need about an hour in the fridge before baking (or bung them in the freezer for half the time if you’re in a hurry). They are best when they are only just cooked, don’t wait for them to harden in the oven, they will harden up on cooling, so take them out while still soft on the top, but no soggy bottoms underneath.
Also, this mixture will make about 50 biscuits, so unless you’re really hungry, put half in the freezer for another rainy day when you can whip ‘em out saying ‘here’s one I made earlier’ – Blue Peter style. Just don’t forget the dough will then need a few hours to defrost before you will be able to shape it.
Ingredients
2 or 3 baking trays (or just rotate 1)
125g SOFT butter (or flora, or even margarine)
150g caster sugar
125g light brown sugar
200g crunchy/smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
300 plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C for a fan oven). Grease the baking trays.
- Beat the butter and sugars together. Add peanut butter and keep beating.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and the eggs.
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix to form a sticky dough.
- Wrap the dough in clingfilm, or leave it in the bowl if you have room, and put in the fridge for an hour.
- Then take about a tablespoon (no bigger as they spread in the oven) of the mixture, roll it into a ball and put on the baking tray, flattening the ball slightly.
- Repeat your rolling and flattening until you have enough biscuits to keep you going.
- Bake for between 10 and 15 minutes. Take them out when they are slightly golden and still soft in the top, but not doughy underneath.
- Cool on a wire rack (or a cool oven rack if you don’t have one).
- 10. Do not leave to cool before eating.
