Some may think – “Simple recipes for biscuits, but are not cookies and biscuits the same thing?”. In some cases, they might look similar, but a true chef can tell you that knowing how to make biscuit dough in essential if you strive to be a great pastry chef, as it can be the base for many different desserts!
While cookies are usually stuffed with chopped nuts, fruits or chocolate, biscuits are mainly pain and rely on their solid taste, not on the taste of their toppings. They are mostly crispier and more tender, while cookies tend to be chewier and heavier.
Now that we understand the difference between both, why not entertain you with some simple, but classic biscuit recipes – they are a “go-to” for every home chef or professional chef and be easily incorporated in dishes like tiramisu or strawberry shortcake.
Let’s see the best 3 simple recipes for biscuits:
1. Ladyfingers:
You will need:
- 140 g of all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp of cornstarch.
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 120 g of white granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 6 tbsp granulated or powdered sugar
How to do it:
Step 1 – The dough:
In a bowl sift the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, set aside for now. In another bowl beat the yolks with half of the sugar until it becomes light in colour and creamy. Grab a third bowl and add the 3 egg whites, with a stand mixer, start beating them and slowly add the rest of the sugar until you have stiff peaks.
Tip: Do not add the whole sugar at once, because this will knock out the air from the whites and they will become mushy and soft.
Fold the yolk mixture gently into the one with the meringue. Start adding the sifted flour in thirds and fold until you have a fluffy dough. It should be with a very thick and sticky consistency, glossy and loose, almost like a cream.
Step 2 – Forming and baking:
Transfer the dough in piping bag and pipe on a baking tray with a plain tip. The biscuits should be around 10cm or 4 inches in length. Springle granulated or powder sugar on top. Let them rest for 10 minutes, before baking at 356˚F or 180˚C for 10-15 minutes.
When ready, they should be very tender, airy and crumbly. They can be the base for your Italian tiramisu!
2. Shortbread biscuits:
You will need:
- 140 g of unsalted butter
- ½ tsp of salt
- ½ cup of confectioner’s sugar
- ½ tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ cups of all-purpose flour
How to do it:
Step 1 – Prepare the dough:
Put the unsalted butter into the stand mixer. It should be melted or at room temperature. Add the vanilla extract, salt and the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and mix on low speed.
Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic or to a lightly floured surface and form into a brick. Beat the dough in the table gently, while trying to maintain the brick shape. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest n the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 2 – Forming and baking:
Once chilled and hard, take the end piece of the dough brick off and cut into 1cm or 0.4 inch thick, uniform rectangulars. Space them evenly apart on a baking tray and with a fork or tooth pick poke some holes in each of the biscuits.
Bake them for 10 minutes at 350˚F or 175˚C and make sure to flip them over on the 5th minute mark.
Enjoy with some strawberry and blueberry jam!
3. Sugar Cookies
You will need:
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of salt
- 1/3 cup of cornstarch
- 1 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of white granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract
How to do it:
Step 1 – Making the dough:
Sift and which together in a bowl the all-purpose flour, the salt and cornstarch. In a stand mixer – although each recipe can be cooked by hand too – add the unsalted butter which has to be at room temperature. Start the mixer and add the granulated sugar. Mix until it is light and fluffy and turn the appliance off.
Crack the two eggs and add them one by one, followed by the vanilla extract and the flour mixture. Before turning the mixer back on, cover it with a kitchen towel, so the flour does not get into the air. Mix again, until the dough is formed – it should feel like playdough and not very sticky at all.
To handle it easier, make sure it rests in the fridge for around an hour or at least 30 minutes.
Step 2 – Forming and baking the biscuits:
Once the dough is nice and chilled, get it out from the fridge and place it on a flat surface, covered lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin and cut it in circles with a metal cutter.
Transfer the raw biscuits onto a clean baking tray and bake them for 12 minutes at 375˚ or 190˚C.
We hope you liked our three easy biscuits recipes – they are truly delicious on their own, but if you are up for a challenge, you can also create a marvellous dessert with their help!
