Bitten by the baking bug

[Humbug carrot]

Having been given a set of kitchen scales for Christmas I baked my first ever batch of simple shortbread biscuits, and now I am hooked!
I would like to develop my new found biscuit making skills, so can anybody recommend some simple and very easy biscuit recipes?
I don't want to spend a fortune on equipment and fancy ingredients.
Thanks in anticipation

[Humbug carrot]

[Squash64]

I would recommend the BeRo site http://www.be-ro.co.uk/f_insp.htm
for simple recipes of all kinds.

[Obelixx]

Have a go at these. Easy and tasty and I always get asked for the recipe:-

CHOCOLATE APRICOT COOKIES

I do this in a food processor and substitute flavourless oil for the butter.  If you don't have dried apricots, you can use dried cherries (not glace) or dried cranberries reconstituted in a little boiling water.   

125g                          butter
or
250ml                       grape seed oil
¾ cup or 140g           soft brown sugar (cassonade graeffe)
1                              egg
¼ cup or 30g            100% cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups or 150g      plain flour
1 sachet                   baking powder
¾ cup or 45g            shredded coconut
1 cup or 265g           chopped, dried, no soak apricots
1 ½ cups or 265g     chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a large, flat oven tray with lightly oiled baking parchment.

Put the butter or oil in the food processor with the sugar and egg and wizz till well blended and lighter in colour then add the apricots and wizz till well blended but not completely smooth.   Add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and coconut and wizz just enough to combine.  If you over mix the gluten in the flour stretches and becomes too hard and chewy.  Finally add the chocolate chips and mix in using the pulse about 10 times.

You should end up with a stiff dough.  Take level tablespoons of the mixture and roll in your hands to make slightly flattened rounds.  It helps to rinse your hands in water first as the dough sticks less to damp hands.   Place them on the tray leaving space for expansion and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool.  Repeat until the dough is all used up.

And these:-

Chocolate Chip Cookies

420g    plain flour
15g    baking powder
15g    bicarb
300g    caster sugar
1 sachet   vanilla sugar
3 dsp    golden syrup
300g   butter
   plain choc chips

This makes double chocolate chip cookies about 30 big ones, but you could use the basic recipe to make many other variations.

Mix all dry ingredients, rub in fat, add syrup then chocolate chips and mix to bind.

Use a teaspoon to put dollops of the dough on a non stick baking sheet.  It will spread so space them a couple of inches apart.

Bake at 170 degrees C for about 10-12 mins.

They will spread out and look crackled on the top, but still soft. They set when cooled.   If you want them browner and crispier, cook for another minute or two but keep an eye as they can overcook in a twinkle.

[antipodes]

Yep but these hardly  need scales!
Aussie Anzac biscuits

1 metric cup (that's a big teacup!) each of : rolled oats, coconut, plain flour, sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 teas bicarb soda
70 g butter (3 oz) or marg
3 heaped tabs golden syrup
A little hot water


Mix all dry ingredients together.
In a saucepan or microwave gently melt the butter and syrup and about 2 tabs of hot water.
Mix this mixture into the dry things, you may need to make a little more of this butter/syrup. the dough should just be sticking together and still be quite stiff.
Place a small ball on a baking tray for each biscuit and flatten slightly with a floured fork. they spread as the cook.
Place in 180°c oven, preheated, for 10 minutes, be careful they cook quickly. They are done when a deep golden brown and a nice syrupy smell. they are soft when they are just cooked but crisp up afterwards. keep a good while in an airtight tin but they never last the day in my house.

[Jayb]

Keep us all updated on your progress Humbug carrot, home made shortbread is just so scrummy   

I would recommend the BeRo site http://www.be-ro.co.uk/f_insp.htm
for simple recipes of all kinds.

Nice site thanks for the link 

[pumkinlover]

I would recommend the BeRo site http://www.be-ro.co.uk/f_insp.htm
for simple recipes of all kinds.

I've got an ancient Be-ro recipe book with pictures of a wasp-waist housewife packed with lots of advice on how to keep her husband and family happy with her home baking!!
Also got the more modern version from Early eighties, and use it all the time! The on-line version looks good - Thanks Squash

[Squash64]

I've got an ancient Be-ro recipe book with pictures of a wasp-waist housewife packed with lots of advice on how to keep her husband and family happy with her home baking!!
Also got the more modern version from Early eighties, and use it all the time! The on-line version looks good - Thanks Squash

I've also got the book PL and remember buying copies for my sisters-in-law years
ago.  I've used it so much that it is falling apart so these days I use the on line
one mostly. 

[Humbug carrot]

Thanks for your tips everyone, I'm definitely trying the Anzac biscuits soon as they look so easy.
The wife made me make a batch of shortbread for her book group, they will be tasting it today, apparently they are all bakers so I could be in for some tough criticism. :
I put some lemon in the mix I think it tasts ok!