Baking Biscuits in Bulk

This is baking on a large scale!  The recipe is egg free so fab for baking with kids as is matters not if they 'accidentally' sample some of the mixture.  It is brilliant if you have a tribe coming to visit for the school holidays or a cake stall to bake for which is the reason I am bulk baking.  Every second Friday one class in the school holds a bake sale/cake stall to raise funds for that class.  I get asked to bake for classes that my girls aren’t actually in, I don’t mind as long as I have some spare time and they ask nicely.  Yes I know, I am unable to say no such a softie!

I usually use this recipe, divide it into four then flavour each batch differently.  You can freeze the unbaked biscuit dough and also freeze the baked biscuits.

Bulk Biscuit Recipe

Recipe makes 60 to 80 biscuits.

500g butter, really soft but not melted

115g caster sugar

1 Tblsp vanilla extract

397g tin of condensed milk

800g self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.  Line 4 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

You will need a REALLY large bucket bowl.  Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and condensed milk with electric beaters until light and fluffy.  This is the easy bit.

Add the flour and use a wooden spoon, or clean and sanitised hands, to mix everything until totally combined.  This part is a rather good arm workout. ;o) 

Divide the dough up into portions and flavour however you like.

Take tablespoonfuls of mixture, roll into balls and put onto baking trays leaving a little room for them to spread.   Flatten them slightly with a floured fork then bake on prepared trays at 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes or until golden.  Leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

How we flavour ours:

Top each biscuit with a chocolate button or small chunk of chocolate.

Jam or Lemon Curd Thumbprints:  Put a thumbprint into the rolled cookies and then dollop in a teaspoon of your favourite jam or some lemon curd.

Sugar and Spice:  Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon together than roll each biscuit into the sugar mix to coat.

Chocolate fudge:  Add chocolate chips and fudge chunks to a portion of the biscuit mixture.

I am submitting this recipe to Credit Crunch Munch, the monthly blogging event created by Helen and Camilla.  Helen is hosting this month.  The ingredients cost £3.60 from the supermarket and made 80 biscuits, that works out at around 4p per biscuit.  Cheap and tasty!