Tuesday 10 August 2010

Sand Cookies



Things are a little grey here, literally, metaphorically.

I woke to the sound of rain hitting the windowpanes and when I left the left the house, though the rain had stopped, the streets were wet and the sky overcast. M is off on another stint to Japan on Thursday, and though he'll be back before the end of the month, his impending departure for his year long stay there is looming, menacingly, at the end of the summer.

So, a photo of the Gladioli that are currently unfurling on my kitchen table and cheering the room up considerably, and a biscuit recipe that was passed to me some years ago by the lovely Anna. These are so simple to make that I have made two batches in the last few days alone, one to take to visit my Grandmother last Friday who has been unwell, and another on Sunday night just because.

If you use regular sugar rather than caster it will remain grainy as the biscuit bakes, giving them their name of 'Sand Cookies', however I used caster sugar both times (by accident and unthinkingly) and it worked just fine, but the name didn't really apply.


Sand Cookies, from Anna

90g cold, hard butter
125g self raising flour
60g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C or Gas Mark 3/4

Mix all the ingredients together into a dough. It should be quite soft but not fall apart - if it does then just add a little more butter. Roll out then cut into biscuits. Place on greased baking tray in oven for 10-15 mins or until browning slightly.

8 comments:

  1. The strawberries look amazing, your time spent taking photos really did work! Sorry to hear things are a little grey :( But hopefully they'll get better soon and M's trip to Japan goes well for him and for you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. rainy day cookies should make things less gray, no?

    ReplyDelete
  3. These sound so delicious and easy. I am a terribly lazy cook but this sounds just the sort of thing that my boys would enjoy 'helping' me to make. I like the sound of the 'cold, hard butter' - it makes the recipe sound a bit more edgy! :)

    Hope they did help brighten your day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you've just put me in the kitchen for the rest of the day! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes the weather has been a little dreary, hasn't it. I actually quite like summer rain sometimes. But not too much.

    It must be hard anticipating M being away for a year. Would you get to visit Japan? That would be incredibly exciting!

    oh- and Im glad you enjoyed the Ottolebghi stew. i must learn to make this for myself soon!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for the recipe, will note and bake.

    ReplyDelete
  7. :) Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love your recipe for "sand cookies" how appropriate for the beach, I have lots of "sea themed" cookie cutters that I'll use, thanks for posting it . . . now, if you'd post that recipe for the sponge cake I'd be thrilled :-) When you have a moment please "Follow" and check out my blog and my blueberry muffin recipe, so good . . . http://oceanbreezesandcountrysneezes.blogspot.com/
    Have a happy day!

    ReplyDelete