Whenever I hear that it is biscuit week on the Great British Bake Off, I always dread it because I am not very good at baking biscuits. Cookies I can make , but biscuits are not my strong point. So when I discovered that for week 2 of the show, for biscuit week, the themes were either biscotti, arlettes or a 3D biscuit box which had to contain more biscuits, I decided that biscotti would be my bake off choice.
I have only ever made biscotti once several years ago, and I figured, from memory, that it was not too complex and would be easier to make than the other choices!! I have opted to use a flavour combination that I have used before for other recipes, and that is Maltesers and Baileys – yummy! Although having now just watched the GBBO, I am thinking that my biscotti may not be proper biscotti as it contains no fruit and no nuts! (should it? I am not really sure!). Anyway, mine still tasted delicious!
Armed with some beautiful bakeware from the National Trust that I was looking forward to using, I set to work first thing Saturday morning, while the boys and their Daddy were swimming, to bake my biscotti. It actually was a lot easier than I remember, and here is how I made them if you fancy having a go:
- 2 medium eggs
- 100g caster sugar
- 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g Maltesers, bashed to make broken ones
- 2 tbsp Baileys (Irish Cream Liquor)
- Pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan
- Line a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, and add the cocoa powder, Baileys and Maltesers.
- Then, fold into the egg mix to make a soft dough.
- Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a sausage shape or shapes if your baking tray is not as big as you thought! (but make sure you flour your hands!).
- Carefully, transfer to your baking sheet, and lightly flatten to approx 3cm thickness.
- Bake for 30 mins until the top is lightly browned
- Reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan
- Then, carefully remove, place onto a chopping board, and slice the log into 1cm thick slices and return to the baking sheet, cut-sides up.
- Bake for a further 15 mins until crisp.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Should keep for a couple of weeks in a tin.
This biscotti was scrumptious, and had wonderful crunch to it. I think mine all look quite uniform in size and colour too 🙂
I cheated and drank mine with tea – obviously you are meant to have eat it while sipping a fine Italian blend coffee, but I am a tea and biscuit kinda gal! My OH ate a piece with his coffee and he liked it – so that means it must be ok to pass his taste test 😉 Knowing how easy biscotti is to make, I will definitely be making it more often from now on.
Great Bloggers Bake Along
If you would like to bake along with me for the new series of the Great British Bake Off, then the rules are here and you can grab my badge on my homepage and on the rules page. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and remember that at the end of the bake off, I will be holding my prize draw where anyone who has linked up a new recipe throughout the 11 weeks can enter. It will only be open to #GBBOBloggers2015 – so there is a good chance of winning 1 of 3 prizes 🙂
On your marks, get set and baaaaaake
This week’s bake off linky is being hosted by Andrea – go and see what she has baked for biscuit week.
**Come back next Tuesday for the bake off round up, and to see who has been crowned Star Baker/s **
(linky opens 9am on Thursday 13th August and ends at 12pm on Monday 17th August , 2015)
You may have noticed the gorgeous bake and home ware items featured in my post. They are from the new National Trust range available at Homebase , and I think they are so pretty and will look at home in any kitchen.
The whole range is so lovely, but I think my favourites are the flour sifter and the mixing bowl and the mugs. Having had a browse at the other items in the range, I feel a pitcher and tea pot may have to be ordered for me to continue my collection 🙂
I was sent some items from the new range for the purpose of a review.
These look gorgeous, I quite fancy one with my evening latte. I can’t wait to see all the fabulous creations this week x
Thank you Cathy and I am looking forward to seeing everyones too x
What gorgeous photos and bakeware. I love National Trust stuff. Your biscotti sound delicious. I didn’t know they had to have fruit or nuts in them to be considered proper biscotti. I made my version on Monday night & they do, but I had no idea. They look great!
Thank you Andrea – I love the set it is so pretty 🙂
And i don’t really know if they have to have fruit and nuts to be ‘proper’ biscotti, but it just seemed that way from seeing the show tonight!! x
These look fantastic! Baileys and maltesers sound my kind of biscuit! My biscotti tasted ok – but didn’t look pretty!
thank you x
Wow these look a tummy! I hope mine come out as well! Question – what is the difference between a biscuit and a cookie? (Yes that is a serious question). It is amazing the differentiation between various English words and the differences in how they are understood in North America as compared to here!
well, you would have to google it probably, but I think a cookie tends to be larger and softer and a biscuit more crisp. But that is my own answer! Plus cookie is an Americanism, biscuit is British! x
i love the look of your biscotti and your gorgeous new kitchen items – that floral design is so pretty! what a fantastic flavour combo to do maltesers and baileys – yummy! x
thank you Rebecca, and i love the new items too x
You were lucky to be able to bake in peace as I had five children running round my house! I blame that for mine not being the same size!
awww the joy of Saturday morn swimming lessons 🙂 x
Oh my, these look and sound delicious! I’m loving the new range of National Trust kitchen ware too
Thank you 🙂 its just lovely isn’t it – I love it x
These sound amazing!
Thank you lovely x
Hi, could you tell me when in the recipe you add the Baileys as it doesn’t say. Many thanks, going to make these this afternoon xx
Hi Nikki, I am so sorry for that little slip up (must have been the extra glass of baileys I poured myself lol) I have amended the method, but you add it to the eggs to fold into the flour. I hope they turn out well for you x
these look really good, and that baking range is so nice.
thank you Helen. It is a really love collection x
I’m pretty sure the important thing about biscotti is that they’re twice baked rather than exactly what goes into them. I’d certainly pick your flavour combination over some of the ones on bake off! (Baileys and malteasers feature very highly on my yummy list).
These sound absolutely delicious!
awww you are very kind – i have to say in my opinion no fruit or nuts were needed x
Oooh I bet the Bailey’s tastes lovely with the maltesers! The look lovely x #GBBOBloggers2015
it did Kirsty, thank you x
Maltesers would be good, Baileys would be lovely…put them both together and I reckon they taste incredible!!
my thinking exactly Carrie x
These look so scrummy! I’d never have though of including baileys in a bake – I bet it’s good! And I love the bake ware items you’ve got – I love blue and white patterns!
Angela x
Mmmm Baileys and Maltesers, what more does a girl need! Love that set of homeware too, it is very pretty.
exactly – two such delicious flavours in one 🙂 x
These look amazing, Jenny and your photos are gorgeous. Love the traditional blue and white kitchenware too. Beautiful x
Thank you so much Carolin 🙂 x
These look fabulous. I cannot wait until I have lost the weight I want to as then I’m going for it! Ha ha ha. I adore the bakeware. When I saw the first picture I instantly fell in love. Great stylng
thank you Hannah – you will get there. I am on Slimming World, so had to give most of these away to a friend! x
Four cookies you probably never baked but should + #recipeoftheweek 15-21 August - A Mummy Too
[…] Get the recipe from Mummy Mishaps […]
Wow this sounds amazing! I made save the recipe to try nearer Christmas as avoiding too many sweet treats at the moment!
#TastyTuesdays
Beautiful china Jenny, I love the blue and cream, very classic. Doing your lovely biscotti justice 🙂
HOLY MOLY! These look incredible – I’ve been meaning to try biscotti’s for ages, so I must make sure I give these a go! I’m popping over from #tastytuesdays and the #recipeoftheweek linkies!
awww thank you Lucy, please let me know how you get on and if you enjoyed them 🙂 x
Malteasers and Bailey’s sounds delicious! The bake wear is really pretty.
I absolutely love the kitchenware, just gorgeous and your photos are amazing! I might have to try your recipe too – yum!
thank you Andrea – let me know how you get on x
They look fantastic and I love the homeware, that was the first thing I thought in the photos! 🙂 Shame your link closes on a Monday, I have been baking at the weekend and writing up my posts on a Monday night, so I keep missing it every week! Alice xx
http://www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk
#GBBO Bloggers 2015 Round Up Week 2 : Biscuits - Mummy Mishaps
[…] am just going to feature my favourites and if you want to see the rest, you can look back to Week 2 here. or visit the pinterest […]
Goodness, I really have to make these! YUMMY! x