Another treasure of a recipe from Liz Ashworth’s superb book ‘The Scottish Baking Bible’ – butter biscuits have long been a favourite savoury treat in my household, and I like them best with a spread of butter and thick slices of Orkney cheese. Butter biscuits have a lovely texture that crumbles with each mouthful. These delicious biscuits are very easy to make and can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Butter biscuits were first made commercially by Forbes Simmer at his bakery in Hatton (a village which lies between Ellon and Peterhead). This bakery was started in 1888 with £60 and a borrowed horse. The Aberdeenshire business went on to supply biscuits to shops such as Marks & Spencers! These delicious biscuits are very easy to make and can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. We’d like to thank Liz for letting us share her recipe for old-fashioned butter biscuits here! Ingredients for old-fashioned butter biscuits photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon Ingredients 225g (8oz / 1½ cups) plain flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100g (3½ oz / ½ cup) unsalted butter, softened Water to mix – about 2 tablespoons Combine the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, butter and water together until it forms a dough photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon Method Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Line a couple of baking trays with grease-proof paper. Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, add the butter and rub it all together. Mix with tepid water and it should form a soft smooth dough. Roll onto a floured surface and cut into rounds photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon Knead lightly on a floured surface and roll out to 3mm (8 in) thickness. Cut into rounds. We used a 7½cm (3 in) cutter and made around 18 biscuits The biscuits ready to go in the oven photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon Place on the baking trays and prick twice in the middle of the biscuit. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and firm to touch. The lightly golden biscuits fresh from the oven photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon Cool on a wire tray. Serve to your nearest and dearest, and if you really like them, don’t forget to top the butter biscuits with Orkney Cheese! With grateful thanks to Liz Ashworth for the recipe, found in The Scottish Baking Bible, available in all good bookshops. By Magnus Dixon Orkney and Shetland enthusiast, family man, loves walks, likes animals, terrible at sports, dire taste in music, adores audiobooks and films, eats a little too much for his own good. Pin it! Header image: Old-fashioned butter biscuits served with Orkney cheese photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon
