Water Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 lb. flour (sifted)
• 1 oz. Paisley flour (B. and P.’s)
• 3 ozs. butter
• A saltspoonful of salt

Method

1. 1

   Mix the two kinds of flour in a basin, rub in the butter until the latter becomes thoroughly amalgamated with the flour; add the salt, and mix well; moisten with enough water to form a soft paste or dough.

2. 2

   Roll it out on a floured board about one-eighth of an inch thick, prick the paste with the prongs of a fork, stamp out some round or square biscuit shapes, place them on a buttered baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes.

3. 3

   If liked, a little grated cheese can be mixed with the flour.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The exhibition cookery book (1900) by Expert chef, page 40. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

WATER BISCUITS. 1 lb. Hour (sifted) 1 oz. Paisley Hour (B. and P.’s) 3 ozs. butter A saltspoonful of salt Mix the two kinds of flour in a basin, rub in the butter until the latter becomes thoroughly amalgamated with the flour ; add the salt, and mix well ; moisten with enough water to form a soft paste or dough. Roll it out on a floured board about one-eighth of an inch thick, prick the paste with the prongs of a fork, stamp out some loo THE EXIIIIilTIOX COOKERY ROOK. round or square biscuit shapes, place them on a buttered baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes. If liked a little grated cheese can be mixed with the flour. 208. ROYAL ICING. Put half pound icing sugar in a clean and dry basin, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice, work these to a creamy substance with the white of one egg. Beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture is a white, shiny and fairly consistent paste. 209. CHOCOLATE ICING. Break 3 ozs. of Van Houten’s chocolate into small pieces, put it in a clean and dry stew-pan with half a gill of water, place it on the fire, and stir mth a wooden spoon till melted ; then stir in half a pound of icing sugar. When well dissolved remove from the fire, and use whilst warm as required. 210. WATER ICING OR TRANSPARENT ICING. Put a pound of loaf sugar into a clean and dry stew-pan or copper sugar boiler, add half a gill of warm water, stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved; then place it over the fire and boil for about five minutes, or until it is reduced to a thick syrup. Pour it in a basin, and stir till almost cold. Use it for coating or covering cakes and pastry. This icing must be used before it is quite cold, otherwise the covering will not be successful. THE EXHIBITION COOKERY BOOK. lOt 21 1. FRUIT TART. ^ lb. flour J teaspoonful Paisley flour (B. and P.’s) f lb. apples, plums or other fruit 2 ozs. butter or dripping Castor sugar Prepare the fruit. If apples are used, peel, core and cut them into pieces ; put them in a pie dish. When the dish is filled add some sugar to taste, and pour in a little water. Mix the flour with the Paisley flour, rub in the butter or dripping, and add a teaspoonful of castor sugar, then mix with enough water to make a stiff paste ; turn the pastry on to a floured board, roll out rather larger than the size of pie-dish; cut off strips to line the edge of the dish ; wet the dish and fit the strips round, then wet the paste and cover with the top crust. Mark the edge with the back of a knife, then brush over the top with a little water ; dredge with castor sugar, and bake in a quick oven for about half an hour. 2 12. SWISS ROLL. 3 ozs. flour 2 ozs. castor sugar 1 tablespoonful milk IJ oz. butter or dripping 2 eggs ] teaspoon fill Paisley flour (B. and P’i.) 3 drops of vanilla or almond essence Some jam Sift the flour on a paper, put the butter and sugar into a basin and work to a cream ; when light, work in the eggs and half the flour (mix the eggs one at the time), last of all add the milk. Paisley flour, and the remainder of the flour. Spread on to a buttered paper placed on a baking 102 THE EXllllJlTION' COOKElty BOOK. sheet, and bake slowly about ten minutes ; then turn quickly on to a board, sjiread with jam (made warm) roll it up, and dredge with castor sugar. The cake must be rolled whilst it is hot. 6 ozs. flour 1 oz. butter i gill milk 213. TEA SCONES. 1 dessertspoonful castor sugar 3 teaspoonful, s raisk-y flour (B. and P.’s) Mix the flour with the Paisley flour, rub in the butter; add the sugar ; mix with the milk, to a smooth paste. Turn the paste on to a floured board, shape into a round flat cake, divide it crosswise into quarters, flour a baking tin and place the scones on it. Bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes, when half done brush them over with sweetened milk to glaze them. 214. MILK ROLLS. ^ lb. flour (sifted)

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.