The number of times I've said "I'm going to bake some custard creams" over the last couple of years then proceeded not to bake them is embarrassing. I used to bake them in my uni days, pre blogging, but have somehow never baked them since.
When I was told to bring nibbles along to a small party this week I knew the time had finally come to dust off my custard creams recipe.
However I think my concept of "nibbles" is somewhat skewed. These were not dainty, finger-food sized biscuits; they were more of the World's Strongest Man variety. What can I say, I like a chunky biscuit. They're an excellent size for enjoying with a cuppa but perhaps not the best for party nibbles. In hindsight they should have been half the size.
Not that anybody really complained as they still tasted good. Buttery, custard flavoured biscuits sandwiched together with a fragrant vanilla butter icing. What's not to like?
And why has it taken me over FOUR YEARS to bake them again?! Fool.
Sadly I didn't get to enjoy any of these biscuits. I took them to the party on Thursday but only ate a few things as I didn't feel that well, then the following day (my birthday) I was inflicted with a stomach bug. I hate my stomach for cheating me out of custard creams *and* birthday cake. What did I do to deserve such cruel treatment?
Ah well, I suppose it gives me an excuse to bake these again. I'm not going to wait four years though!
Ah well, I suppose it gives me an excuse to bake these again. I'm not going to wait four years though!
Custard Creams
Biscuit recipe from Mum's battered old cookbook "Good Housekeeping's Picture Cookery" although I followed my own method
Biscuit dough:
8oz caster sugar (I used golden)
8oz softened butter
2 egg yolk
a few drops of vanilla extract (I used some vanilla bean paste)
8oz custard powder
8oz plain flour
a splash of milk
Vanilla butter icing (my own):
I ended up with left over icing so you may want to adjust your amounts
250g icing sugar
100g softened butter
a few drops of vanilla bean paste
2 tbsp milk
Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170/Gas 5 and lightly flour a few baking sheets/trays. Mix together the caster sugar and softened butter. Once combined add the egg yolks and the vanilla extract/paste and mix again. Sift together the custard powder and plain flour before adding to the mixture. Add enough milk to bring the mixture together into a dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes (probably not compulsory, but the kitchen was warm and I didn't want the dough too soft).
Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface (chop the dough in half before rolling as it gives you easier portions to work with). I didn't measure the thickness of my dough but it would have been at least 0.5cm/ 1/4 inch thick. Once you've rolled the dough out cut your biscuits in whatever shape you fancy and prick the surface a few times with a fork.
Transfer to a tray, spacing them slightly, then leave to chill in the fridge again for around 20 minutes (probably an optional step again, but it'll help to stop the biscuits from spreading in the oven and losing their shape). Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until lightly coloured. Keep an eye on their edges, you don't want them going brown! Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface (chop the dough in half before rolling as it gives you easier portions to work with). I didn't measure the thickness of my dough but it would have been at least 0.5cm/ 1/4 inch thick. Once you've rolled the dough out cut your biscuits in whatever shape you fancy and prick the surface a few times with a fork.
Transfer to a tray, spacing them slightly, then leave to chill in the fridge again for around 20 minutes (probably an optional step again, but it'll help to stop the biscuits from spreading in the oven and losing their shape). Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until lightly coloured. Keep an eye on their edges, you don't want them going brown! Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
Mix your icing ingredients together for a few minutes until smooth and fluffy. Use to sandwich the cooled biscuits together. I think I had nearly 30 sandwich biscuits in total.