Gran's Peanut Butter Biscuits

This is a recipe from my Gran, I've had them lots of times when we've gone to visit her, but never made them before - they were part of my Mull baking spree, and I was surprised how simple they were. The key is the chilling step - it really does make everything after that easier and a lot less messy!

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Makes 40 (seems like a lot, but they keep for up to a week in an air tight container, if there's any left!)

Peanut Butter Biscuits ready to travel to Mull

Ingredients:

9oz butter

11oz peanut butter

16oz granulated sugar

1 egg

11oz plain flour

1tsp baking powder

large pinch salt

5oz peanuts (peeled and finely chopped)

Demerara sugar (optional)

150oC fan oven, 160oC all other ovens

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl using an electric whisk or wooden spoon cream the butter and peanut butter together until they’re thoroughly mixed.
2. Add the sugar and continue to cream until the mixture has become pale and fluffy.
3. Add the beaten egg gradually, beaten after each addition.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and peanuts and mix until combined.
5. Cling film the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – the longer you leave it for the easier the next bit will be!
6. Once your dough is thoroughly chilled weigh out 1oz, roll into a roll between your palms and put onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof. Squash down slightly and sprinkle generously with demerara for extra crunch. Repeat for the rest of the mixture, ensuring the biscuits are well spaced out (with at least 2 inches between them).
7. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, or until a light golden brown. If you want your biscuits slightly chewy take them out of the oven whilst they’re still soft, if you’d like them to have a good crunch to them cook them for a few minutes longer until crisp.
8. Leave your biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack. They’re great with a cuppa or some proper coffee.

The Complete Mull Line Up

These were one of the most popular things I made for Mull, I'll definitely be making them again soon, they're so good!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

We're All Going (May Have Already Been...) On a Summer Holiday!

This summer I've been doing some temp office work, got some pennies for my pocket and some fantastic work experience to boot, but I had a week off in the middle of it to go to Mull with the family. We stay in a friend's cottage on the beach, and it's a bit of a tradition to do loads of baking before we go so we're well stocked for elevenses and afternoon tea! (Definitely didn't have cake for breakfast one day...)

Before going I rang my Gran to ask for her Marmalade cake recipe - she's given it to me numerous times but I always seem to misplace it - hence starting a place to keep all of my recipes together!

Marmalade Cake

Like I said, I've made this cake a lot - it gets better after a few days in the tin, but it doesn't always last that long in our house!

Marmalade Cake

Ingredients:

7fl.oz vegetable oil
5 heaped tbsp marmalade
6oz caster sugar
4tbsp milk
3 large eggs (beaten)
6oz self raising flour
6oz wholemeal flour (also self raising if you can find it)
0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 heaped tbsp marmalade
2oz flaked almonds

Greased and lined 8in round tin
Preheated oven (140oC/280oF fan, 160oC/320oF for others)

 Method:

1. In a large bowl beat together the vegetable oil, marmalade, sugar, eggs and milk (use an electric whisk if you have one, if not elbow grease will do!)

2. Add the wholemeal flour (no need to sieve as it's too chunky to get through the gaps).

3. Sieve in the white self raising flour and bicarb, and mix well - you should end up with a fairly runny batter.

4. Pour the mix into your greased and lined tin, taking care to clean and mixture off the sides if it gets a bit messy, so it doesn't burn.

5. Place in the middle of your preheated oven for 45 minutes

6. After 45 minutes check your cake - if it's getting too brown on top make a fashion a little foil cover for it

7. Cook for another 45 minutes (90 in total - this is a long time for a cake, but this is a dense, moist cake so a long slow bake is what it needs)

8. Use a clean, sharp knife or skewer (we use a knitting needle in our house) to test if your cake is ready after 90 minutes; insert it into the middle of your cake, if it comes out clean it's done, if not pop it back in the oven for another 10/15 minutes - repeat this until your skewer comes out clean.

9. Once it's cooked remove from the oven and carefully cover the top with the extra 2tbsp marmalade (the cake tin will also be hot so be careful). Scatter the flaked almonds over the marmalade and put the whole thing back in the oven for 10 minutes to let the marmalade warm through and set the almonds in place.

10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.

11. Once cool remove from the tin and store in an air tight box - if you can leave it for a few days all the better, if you can't resist a slice for breakfast is perfect!

Other Treats

Ginger, Nut and Chocolate Slice

 Also for this trip I made:

- Ginger, Nut and Chocolate Slice

- Peanut Butter Biscuits

- Lemon Cookies

- Cornflake and Oat Crumble Bakes

The recipes will follow soon hopefully!

I'll leave you with a photo from Mull, it really is a special place.

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

A sunset from Mull; perfection!