Lemon Biscuits

(Adapted from Quick & Easy Biscuits and Slices)

100g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
125g caster sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp lemon juice
350g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Grease several baking trays lightly with a little butter.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, caster sugar, and lemon rind until pale and fluffy.

3. Add the beaten egg and lemon juice, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture and blend together. Add the milk and mix into a soft dough.

5. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide into small pieces.

6. Roll each piece into a sausage and bend it to make a "S" shape. (I skipped this step, I used a cookie cutter or roll them into round balls, slightly flattened with my finger).

7. Place onto greased tray and bake in preheated oven at 170 degree celsius for 15-20 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and serve (optional).

The recipe says this makes 50 biscuits, but I made them bite-sized and I got about 90 biscuits.

Buttermilk Biscuit

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
melted butter, to brush on top



1. Preheat oven to 200 degree celsius.

2. Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

3. Slice cold butter into cubes and use a pastry knife or potato masher to cut butter into dry mixture until no large chunks of butter remain.

4. Add buttermilk and milk and stir with a spoon until dough forms.

5. Roll out to 1/2-inch thick on a floured surface. (my dough was not roll-able. I spooned my dough onto the baking tray and omitted step 6)

6. Cut biscuits with a 3-cm (or any size you like) biscuit cutter and arrange on a lightly-greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops begin to turn light brown.

8. Remove biscuits from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes, then brush each biscuit top with melted butter.

9. Serve warm with gravy, butter, maple syrup or jam.


Makes 27 biscuits.



Note: If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own. 1 cup buttermilk is made of:
1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, OR
1 cup milk + 1 3/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar, OR
1 cup milk + 3 tablespoons of white vinegar
and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.