Easter biscuits
I made a batch of Traditional Easter bikkies (cookies) this afternoon. i’d never heard of them before but I suppose they’re traditional English biscuits. I never had them when I was growing up, but I like currants and thought I’d try them.
I got the recipe from this site. (click on the blue writing)
They’re very nice, quite subtle but pleasingly crisp. (At least they were when straight out of the oven. After a day or so in a bu=iscuit tin, they were less crisp, but still vet tasty.
If I made them again I’d probably add a bit more spice and more lemon zest, but they’re nice enough. I also didn’t sprinkle as much sugar on top as the recipe showed. And they took longer to bake than the recipe said. But they taste good, so I’m happy enough with them.
The recipe made around 50 biscuits, so if I made them again I’d halve the recipe. But since I plan to give them away to friends and also the trainers at my gym, that’s fine.
I enjoy baking, and I like trying out new recipes, but since I’ve been watching my diet the last few years and lost a fair bit of weight, I need to restrict my biscuit eating. So I have a rule — for every batch of biscuits I bake, I can eat two or three (the ugliest ones) and then I give the rest away. That way I don’t put on weight, and the trainers at my gym are happy to eat my experiments. Which is a win-win..
The only other Easter biscuits I’ve made were these bunny ones, which I baked in anticipation of a visit from two little girls. Their tails are little marshmallows. When Dad was alive I always baked him a fruit cake, and pretended it was for Easter by adding some little chocolate eggs around it, though I baked him a fruit cake every few weeks anyway. He did love a fruit cake. And chocolate.
And I keep planning to make cute little chickie eggs with boiled eggs, (like these ones) but I never seem to have an occasion to serve them, and I’m too lazy to make them just for me.
Do you do any baking or make special food for Easter?
Belated Happy Easter, Anne!
Years ago, we stayed at a lovely B&B in Melrose, Scotland, which offered tea and cookies in the afternoon – and the currant biscuits were addictive! The recipe, which the owner shared, was exactly like the link you provided. Over the years, I’ve tweaked it, too, and my folks like them best with a bit of lemon or orange zest added. When I make them at Christmas, I also add a drop of whisky!
Ooh, whisky — I hadn’t thought of that. Might try it — and I notice you spell whisky in the correct Scottish way. Other, non-Scottish whisky is spelled whiskey, but many people don’t know the difference.
I also thought the biscuits needed more lemon zest, and perhaps a little more spice. Orange zest would be nice, too, I’m sure. Thanks for the tips.