The search continues.....

For over 40 years, I’ve been searching for an oaty biscuit recipe that re-creates biscuits like those a school-friend’s mum used to make.  I remembering asking her for the recipe several times but maybe it was a family secret as sadly, it never came my way.  These delicious “melt in the mouth” shortbreads  ( pretend they’re healthy as they contain oats!),  go some way to fulfilling the challenge as  the texture isn’t far off but they still need some adjustment to  the taste.   I shall definitely bake them again as they are so easy to make but my search continues

Oat and Vanilla Shortbread Cookies


Makes about 25


Ingredients

200g (7oz) butter, softened
100g (3 ½ oz) icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g (7oz) plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
100g (3 ½ oz) porridge oats

Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF), Gas mark 4. Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then stir in the oats and bring the mixture together to form a dough. Using a sheet of cling film to cover the dough, roll it into a log about 30cm (12in) long and 6cm (2 ½in) in diameter. Allow to chill in the fridge, covered in the cling film, for about 30 minutes until firm. Remove the cling film; slice the log into rounds about 5mm (¼in) thick and place slightly apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until light golden brown and dry to the touch. Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.