Vanilla Freezer Biscuits Cookies With Variations Recipes

FREEZER BISCUITS. STRAIGHT FROM FREEZER TO OVEN!

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend together the flour, salt and baking powder.
• Pulse in the cold butter pieces. (or use a pastry cutter if you want)
• Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour.
• Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
• Pour in the buttermilk.Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately.
• Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board.
• Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough.
• I don't even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 1 & ½ inches.
• Using a sharp 3 inch biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• Place the sheet of unbaked biscuits into the freezer for several hours or overnight to freeze them solid.
• When frozen, store in an airtight container in the freezer until needed.
• Place as many biscuits as you would like on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Whisk together the egg and water and brush on the tops of the biscuits. (This step is optional, it is just to help the tops get a deeper golden brown colour. You will also not need to use all of the egg wash, only enough to very lightly brush on the tops.)
• Place the baking sheet with the frozen biscuits in a cold oven, then turn to oven on 400 degrees F.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until evenly golden brown. Let them cool down for 10 minutes or so. before serving.

VANILLA FREEZER BISCUITS (COOKIES) (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean (they advise you discard the bean but stick it in a canister of sugar and you will soon have vanilla sugar).
• Beat butter, sugar and bean seeds until pale and creamy using an electric mixer.
• Add egg and beat until combined.
• Sift flour over butter mixture and use a wooden spoon, stir to combine.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide in half.
• Using hands shape each half in a 30cm long log.
• Wrap each log in baking paper, twirling ends to seal.
• Freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
• Remove logs from freezer 15 minutes before slicing.
• Preheat oven to 180 degree C (160 C for fan forced).
• Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• Remove paper from logs and slice into 1.5cm thick rounds.
• Place rounds, 3cm apart on prepared trays.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden colour.
• Cool on trays for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve.
• You can leave logs in freezer for up to 2 months, thaw for 1 hour before slicing and baking.
• VARIATIONS.
• Chocolate chips - Stir 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate chips at the end of step 4.
• Pistachio - Stir in 2/3 cups of roughly chopped pistachio kernels at the end of step 4.
• Citrus - Add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon or orange rind with vanilla bean seeds in step 2.

BASIC SHORTBREAD WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine flour and salt.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar and continue beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
• Add flour and salt to mixture and stir until smooth.
• Divide dough into two flat disks roughly an inch thick and wrap in plastic.
• Chill for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• On a slightly floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness.
• Shape with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets and refrigerate 20 more minutes.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm without browning.
• Cool on a rack.
• Now for the Variations on the Theme:.
• White-Chocolate Dipped:.
• Roll out dough roughly 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut into rounds and place cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions. After cooling, melt 6 ounces of white chocolate in a double boiler. Dip cookies into white chocolate and return to rack. Let chocolate set before handling.
• Cranberry Clementine:.
• Prepare one batch of basic shortbead dough, omitting vanilla extract. Work 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries and 2 tbs grated clementine zest into dough. Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions.
• Pecan Macadamia Bites:.
• Add 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans and 1/4 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts to dough. Scoop out tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball between your palms into bite-sized disks about an inch across. Place on prepared cookie sheets, refrigerate and bake as per instructions above. After cooking, dust cookies with icing sugar through a fine wire strainer.
• Sugar Stars:.
• Roll out dough roughly 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut into stars and place cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookies with egg white and sprinkle each cookie with coarse white sugar. Refrigerate and bake as per above instructions.
• Enjoy!

VANILLA BISCUITS (COOKIES)

Steps:

• cream butter, sugar and essence.
• add egg.
• then add dry ingredients.
• roll into balls.
• place on cold greased trays.
• press down with a fork.
• bake 15-20 minutes at 190 degrees.
• or 12-15 minutes for me because I have and aga.

FLAKY FREEZER BISCUITS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine yeast and sugar in water.
• Set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt.
• Cut in butter to form a crumbly mixture.
• Stir in yeast mixture and buttermilk.
• Mix just enough to hold dough together.
• Roll dough 3/4 inches thick on floured surface.
• Cut out biscuits with the top of a glass or a cutter.
• Prick tops with fork.
• Freeze separately on cookie sheet.
• After biscuits are frozen, stack and wrap well.
• Before baking let rise until doubled in size.
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Makes 3-4 dozen.
• Grated Cheddar cheese may be added to soft dough for flaky cheese biscuits.