Vanilla butter biscuits

We all have different requirements from our biscuits. At times it is a simple and satisfying accompaniment to our cup. And these vanilla butter biscuits do just that! They are as light as air, and will literally melt in seconds in your mouth. They are warm and tender. A delicious choice for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 80g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 115g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour
• 100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
• 2 tbsp milk

Method

1. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper or use non-stick trays. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a medium bowl, scraping down the side of the bowl when necessary, until just combined.
2. Sift the self-raising and plain flours together into a bowl. Add half the sifted flours to the butter mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix until combined.
3. ?Add the milk and mix well.
4. Add the remaining sifted flours and, when the mixture becomes difficult to mix with the wooden spoon, use your hand.
5. Mix with your hand until the mixture forms a soft dough that leaves the side of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hand. If the mixture is a little dry, add an extra 1 tbsp of milk. (There should be no dry bits of dough in the bottom of the bowl.)
6. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and then place the balls about 4cm apart on the lined trays.
7. Use a floured fork to flatten the biscuits slightly. Dip the fork in a little flour every second or third ball. (You can also flatten the balls with a lightly floured hand or fingers, the base of a glass or the side of a grater. Any decorative edge can be used to press a pattern into the top of them.)
8. ?Place the trays in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.
9. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Bake the biscuits, swapping the trays halfway through, cooking for 18-20 minutes or until the biscuits rise, are slightly cracked on top and are light golden underneath.
10. Remove the biscuits from the oven and set aside to cool for about 3 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations

Lemon sugar biscuits - Replace the vanilla essence with 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind. Increase the milk to 3 tbsp. Roll the balls of dough in 55g (1/4 cup) white sugar to coat. Do not flatten the balls of dough before cooking. Continue as for the vanilla butter biscuit recipe.

Gingerbread biscuits - Substitute the caster sugar for 70g (1/3 cup, firmly packed) dark brown sugar. Beat 2 tbs golden syrup with the butter, dark brown sugar and vanilla essence in step 1. Sift 1 tbs ground ginger and 2 tsp mixed spice with the flours in step 2. Continue as for the vanilla butter biscuit recipe.

(Source: taste.com.au)