Feeling inspired by our delicious
Biscuiteers tie-in? Here’s an exclusive
recipe from their kitchen for you to try:
ilovegorgeous… Fairy
Party Biscuits
Ingredients (makes 24
biscuits)
350g plain
flour
100g self-raising
flour
125g
granulated sugar
125g salted
butter, diced
125g golden
syrup
1 large egg,
lightly beaten
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 170c/350f/gas mark 4 before
you begin.
- Sift the flours together into a mixing bowl, add
the sugar and mix well.
- Add the butter. Using just the tips of your
fingers, rub together the ingredients until the mixture resembles fine
breadcrumbs.
- When all the butter is evenly mixed in, make a
well in the centre and add the syrup and the egg.
- Mix well, drawing in any of the flour left at
the sides of the bowl and stop as soon as a ball has formed.
- Place the dough onto your clean worktop. Divide
into two and squash the dough into two even-sized flat discs. Cover and chill
until ready to use, or roll out immediately.
- Place the dough on a sheet of parchment and
begin by gently squashing the dough down with a rolling pin or your hands.
Cover with a second sheet of parchment and then use the rolling pin to roll out
properly.
- The top sheet of paper may crinkle from time to
time, just peel it off and smooth it down gently before starting to roll again.
- Gently roll the dough until it is 5mm thick all
over, then transfer the whole sheet of rolled dough still sandwiched between
its sheets of parchment to a baking tray and place in the fridge to chill for
at least 20 – 30 minutes before cutting.
- Fairy party themed cutters are widely available
online, or you can choose to make your own. To do this, identify the shapes you
want to trace (crowns and butterflies work really well!) and lay a sheet of
parchment on top, carefully tracing around the shape. Remember that you can ice on much more detail
than needs to be reflected in the shape of the biscuit. Carefully cut the
templates out with scissors. You can find some of our favourite templates in
the BiscuiteersBook of Iced Biscuits.
- Assemble your collection of cutters or templates
and start to cut. To use the dough efficiently cut the biscuits out as close
together as possible. Lift each biscuit onto the parchment covered baking tray
and make sure they are not too close together as the dough will spread a little
on baking. Any trimmings can be re-rolled a couple of times.
- Evenly space the trays in the oven and cook for
14-18 minutes, depending on your oven. When the biscuits are evenly cooked and just
beginning to turn a golden colour remove the trays from the oven and transfer
the whole sheet of parchment to a cooling rack. Do this carefully as the
biscuits will be quite fragile and hot!
- Cool totally before starting to ice.
Fairy-Party Icing Tips
To start, cut your piping bag straight across to
achieve a clean icing line.
- Always
use a clean piping bag, so that your icing colours stay lovely.
- Practice your icing techniques on a parchment
sheet before starting on your biscuits.
- Mix icing in girly colours – pink, purple and
sparkling white.
- If you are icing line-detail on top of runny
icing, always wait until it is completely dry!
- When filling areas with runny icing, use a sharp
cocktail stick to burst any bubbles. This will help achieve a smooth and
luxurious finish.
- Stock up on lots of baubles and sugar glitter to
give your biscuits a dusting of fairy magic.
- Remember that sugar glitter will stick better to
super wet icing (its dries pretty fast!)
