Tea Biscuits

My grandmother's tea biscuits, take number two of the season.

This time I reverted back to my grandmother's recipes and chose the one I thought might be 'the most accurate'. Of course they STILL didn't turn out like hers but they are probably my best attempt yet. They are certainly close - light and high and yummy. My grandmother even approved of them though she said they weren't quite there yet. Hopefully I will figure it out one day!

Almost Nonna's Tea Biscuits
1 large egg, beat into a measuring cup
milk, add to make one cup liquid (I used skim because that's all I had on hand)
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
scant 1/4 cup granulated (white) sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (I used salted)

Preheat oven to 425◦F. Line a double layer of baking sheets (to prevent bottoms from browning too quickly) with parchment paper.
Stir together all the dry ingredients and cut in the butter until pea-sized. Stir in the egg and milk mixture. Knead until smooth, Roll out on lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a round cutter, Place 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.

Not For Tea Biscuits

My grandmother's tea biscuits, take number one of the season.

My grandmother makes the best tea biscuits. Or used to anyway, but hasn't been able to recently. They are light and fluffy and buttery and so delicious they can be eaten plain and cold; but of course are better warm with butter! (See http://bexysbakingblog.blogspot.ca/2012/05/nonnas-tea-biscuits.html).

She has given me a few different recipes over the years but although I have tried them all, I have never been able to get them quite as good as hers. Similar, yes. Tasty, definitely. Nonna's? Nope. I can't even pinpoint what the differences may be. We don't live far away from each other so we use the same brands of ingredients, same climate, even have the same or similar kitchen equipment to work with. Is she just missing something in one of her recipes? Does she have a special technique that just can;t be explained? Am I not kneading enough, too much, or too vigorously? Does my oven temperature run high? Is it a subtle difference in biscuit cutters?

It certainly doesn't help that her recipes are never specific. How long do I knead? How thick do I roll out the dough? How much is a 'scant' cup of sugar? What percentage of milk fat? Salted or unsalted butter?

This time around, I decided just to try my ow biscuit recipe I know has worked before and always produces a tender, flaky, and tasty product. But I tried to form them into more of a tea biscuit type. I'm afraid it didn't work out at planned and didn't come close to my grandmother't tea biscuits; but they were darn tasty!

Not high enough, not fluffy enough, not 'tea' enough

Summer Iced Tea

How to make the best summer iced tea: get a big pot of water, chop up a bunch or oranges and some lemons and limes and apples and through them in. Put in a little fresh mint, a squeeze of honey and a pile of sugar. Tie some tea bags to a wooden spoon handle and dangle them into a pot. Bring just to a boil, turn off and steep. Remove tea bags and chill mixture on ice. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!